Free Republic

Former Virginia Sen. Brandon Bell endorsed Republican Bob McDonnell for governor Wednesday after spending most of the summer and fall in support of Democrat Creigh Deeds. Bell, a Republican, served two separate terms in the Senate but was defeated twice, first by Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, in a general election and later by Sen. Ralph Smith, R-Botetourt County, in a 2007 primary. Bell was among seven Republicans who endorsed Deeds in July. Bell said at the time that he had worked with both men but that Deeds "simply will make better decisions on key issues facing the commonwealth." In a...

GOP Incumbents Williams, Bell Lose Senate Seats Conservative Republican challengers prevailed against moderate incumbents in key legislative primary elections across Virginia yesterday, setting the stage for a bruising fall election in which Democrats will try to take over the GOP-controlled General Assembly by capturing the political middle. * * * Two key moderate Republicans lost their seats in the Virginia Senate yesterday: Martin E. Williams (Newport News), chairman of the influential Senate Transportation Committee, and J. Brandon Bell II (Roanoke). Challengers Patricia B. "Tricia" Stall and Ralph K. Smith accused the incumbents of betraying the Republican Party by siding with...

Dear xxxxxx, I wanted to remind you that there is an important primary election coming up tomorrow, Tuesday, June 12 in the 22nd Senate district -- where you live. There, due to the way the district is drawn, voters have the opportunity to decide on the representative for this district the Republican Primary. Since Virginia has open primaries, you are allowed to vote in this primary regardless of your political affiliation. Equality Virginia's bi-partisan PAC is supporting Senator Brandon Bell for re-election to the Virginia Senate. A key moderate in the Senate, in the 2007 General Assembly session Senator Bell...