Letters to the Editor

News Virginian
Published: July 31, 2007

Shame on Ben Cline, Chris Saxman

Democrats in Virginia should thank Republicans Ben Cline and Chris Saxman for choosing not to endorse Scott Sayre for the Senate in the recent Republican primary.

Sayre lost to Emmett Hanger by 800 or so votes. Cline and Saxman could have been the difference between a real Republican running for the Senate (Sayre) versus a closet Democrat (Hanger).

If Cline and Saxman had spine, then a real Republican would be running for the Senate.

Because they chose not to make a stand for the values of the Republican Party, they've helped Hanger - a tax-hiking, free-spending Republican incumbent - continue his liberal votes in the Senate.

Need examples of Hanger's Democrat ways-

In 2004, he voted for the largest tax increase in the history of Virginia at a time when the state had a $300 million surplus.

Hanger voted for loopholes that give illegal immigrants state tuition benefits to our state colleges. Hanger voted to increase the gas tax in Virginia. Hanger voted to increase the grantors tax. Hanger voted against a separate and permanent transportation trust fund lockbox.

Shame on Ben Cline and Chris Saxman for not standing up for Republican values. Shame on Ben Cline and Chris Saxman for remaining silent when they should have made the difficult choices that leaders need to make.

It's time that Republicans think about what they want in their representatives. Republicans need tough leaders willing to push a conservative agenda for the people of Virginia.

Todd Smith

Fishersville