Primary Battles Overview

As we get closer to spring the primary battles will start heating up. Just today I was at the Montgomery County GOP luncheon and the race for the 22nd has already started.

In the next few days I will try and cover each declared primary battle and explain what is going on in each one and what the main issues and factors are. I will also cover some of the Senators who do not have formal challengers but that will probably face one.

I want to preface these by saying that I will take as honest a look at them as possible and bring no biases to them as much as I can.

I will say though, that I firmly believe that all the primary challengers will have a very tough time, and I will go into that in each race. I am not saying I do not support them, but alot of people think this is going to be easier than it is.

As many of you know, VCAP, RSVP and Virginians for a Conservative State Senate will be pouring money into their coffers; while the Senate Leadership Trust will probably be helping out the incumbents. For future info, the money situation for them looks like this as of Jan 1:

Senate Leadership Trust: $565,638 Cash on Hand

RSVP: $25,025
VCSS: $4132 (as of 9/30/06, new report not out yet)
VCAP: $22,355
Total: $51,512 Cash on Hand

As you can see, the incumbents have a monumental cash advantage going into the year. As you will see later, the individual candidates races see a similar pattern.

As of right now I have Stosch, Bell and Potts with declared challengers. I also have Hanger, Chichester, Watkins, Stolle and Norment as possible ones. Let me know if there are any others and will cover them as well.