Delegate Dave Nutter
While all of the local groups here were surprised by the entry of Dave Nutter in the 21st State Senate District Race to retire John Edwards, we think it is ultimately a good thing. It will ensure that we get the best possible opponent to fight this fight to retire John Edwards.
We certainly need someone who can go to Richmond and be their own man. We need someone who can stand up for Southwestern VA and fight for our rights in these increasingly difficult times. Obviously Dave Nutter or Tripp Godsey would do better for us than John Edwards. Heck, that’s easy. In our search for a candidate, I reassured potential candidates to challenge Edwards that they put their pants on the same way Edwards does; just when they put their pants on they won’t constantly violate their oath of office like Edwards does…
But we do have a choice for candidates and the conventional wisdom says pick Nutter. Heck the Roanoke Times has already concluded Nutter will get the nomination in the August primary.
But we live in very unconventional times. We now expect a lot more from our candidates than voters have in the past. We have not completed a full blown review of his voting record, but Dave Nutter has at least one very bad vote on his record.
Tripp Godsey
In 2004, the General Assembly passed the largest tax increase in the Commonwealth’s history. The infamous Warner Tax Increase of 2004. Not surprisingly John Edwards voted for it.
But looking back at the records, Dave Nutter voted for the tax increase as well. I’ve heard politicians discuss the pressure put on them on that vote. Supporters of the bill and Governor (now Senator) Mark Warner were pushing hard for this, regaling legislators with dire warnings of impending doom if the tax increases were not approved.
Do we really wish to have a representative who, on one of the most important votes since the turn of the century, voted for a massive tax increase? We will be interested to hear how Delegate Nutter explains his reasoning for this vote. But this type of vote strikes at the very core of the principles that the Republicans are supposed to support in the Republican Creed of Virginia.
In part, the Creed reads “That fiscal responsibility and budgetary restraints must be exercised at all levels of government.” Voting with Mark Warner and John Edwards on this massive tax increase is difficult to understand from someone running as a Conservative Republican and supporter of the Creed.
So we will be asking Delegate Nutter to reconcile this vote with the Creed when we meet with him, I am interested to hear his reply. I am told this is an exception but we will continue to look.
