Free Republic

<p>RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia woke up Wednesday without a clear winner in its Senate race: Democratic incumbent Mark Warner held a narrow lead over Republican Ed Gillespie, who made the contest surprisingly close even though he received little attention and money from national groups.</p>

No one expected this race to be this close. Incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Warner and Republican Ed Gillespie are nearly tied in Virginia’s Senate race, according to early returns. With 99 percent of precincts in, Warner leads with 49.1 percent to Gillespie’s 48.5 percent. Speaking to supporters late Tuesday, Gillespie said he wasn’t ready to concede. “We’re going to be patient here. And I believe we need to be respectful of the voters.” “This race is not going to be decided until the last vote is counted,” adviser Mark Obenshain added at the election night celebration. Gillespie shocked observers by...

The race for U.S. Senate in Virginia has not been a particularly competitive one. In a year in which Democratic incumbents across the country are finding themselves in hot water, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) seems to have escaped the voters’ wrath. The revelation that Warner has been caught up in a federal investigation following the admission that he had engaged in quid pro quo discussions with a state senator in order to persuade him to not quit the Senate and surrender that institution’s control to Republicans has, however, upended the conventional wisdom surrounding the race for Senate in Old Dominion.

John Warner, the retired Republican senator, has cut a strong testimonial commercial endorsing Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner for reelection, becoming the latest former member of the chamber to make an appearance in this year’s elections. The younger Warner challenged the elder Warner, no relation, back in 1996. But they became closer over the years and developed a good working relationship when Mark Warner became governor in 2002. Mark Warner picked up his seat six years ago upon John Warner’s retirement. This is the first time John Warner, now 87, has either endorsed a Democrat for elected office in Virginia...

Sen. Mark Warner (D., Va.) floundered during a debate Monday night when asked about allegations that he offered a judgeship position to the daughter of Virginia State Senator Phillip Puckett to convince Puckett to remain in the Senate. “I’ve been friends with Phillip Puckett and his family for 20 years,” Warner said. “And when I reached out to his son before I talked to Phillip to explore possible options going forward, I didn’t offer anyone any job, nor would I offer any job. And that is the fact.”

The son of a former Virginia state senator has told federal investigators that U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner discussed the possibility of several jobs, including a federal judgeship, for the senator’s daughter in an effort to dissuade him from quitting the evenly divided state Senate.

There are signs that the U.S. Senate race in Virginia, previously considered a long-shot for Republicans and a safe seat for Democrats, could get interesting in the final weeks of the campaign. The incumbent, Democrat Mark Warner, has had a large lead in the polls over his Republican opponent Ed Gilespie since the beginning of the race. But the lead has shrunk in recent weeks from about 20 points to about 10, and the Gillespie campaign is now up with TV ads in the swing Northern Virginia market outside Washington, which Warner had previously had to himself. A popular former...

Democratic Senator Mark Warner (D., Va.) refused to elaborate on the 250,000 Virginians who are losing their healthcare plans due to Obamacare during Tuesday’s Senate debate against Republican Ed Gillespie. Moderator Karen Tumulty asked Warner to respond to taxpayers who are losing their plans, but Warner did not acknowledge the cancellations. Rather, he touted the elements of Obamacare that he believes Virginians support. “Virginians want us to fix healthcare,” Warner said.

Whenever your humble correspondent dips a strawberry into the chocolate fountain at the Golden Corral, one thought always comes to mind: Mark Warner bribery. Why? Because back in 2006 when Warner was governor of Virginia he attempted to influence the Daily Kos convention in Las Vegas, then known as the YearlyKos, into favoring his possible bid for the presidency with a lavish party at the Stratosphere. As we shall see, the Kossacks absolutely loved the idea that they were being bribed as they feasted on the sushi, drank down alcoholic concoctions, and dipped into the chocolate fountain. Therefore it is...

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RICHMOND — The son of a former Virginia state senator has told federal investigators that U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner discussed the possibility of several jobs, including a federal judgeship, for the senator’s daughter in an effort to dissuade him from quitting the evenly divided state Senate.

“Staggering Numbers” Of Virginians Will Lose Plans And Pay More Due To ObamaCare (September 11, 2014)

(VIDEO-AT-LINK)There are 65 prominent people who might run for president in 2016. The Democratic and Republican fields contrast sharply. Hillary Clinton is the clear front-runner, while there is no front-runner on the Republican side. Twenty-three Democrats have been mentioned as a candidate or are eyeing a bid, according to an analysis by The Hill. The GOP side has 42. Most of the people on this list won’t run, and some have adamantly claimed that they’re not interested. But many politicians have changed their minds on seeking the White House. Before mounting his 2008 bid, then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) said he...

Breaking: Partisan gridlock blocks Hobby Lobby bill. Friend, This afternoon, Republicans in the Senate filibustered the bill that would undo the impacts of the recent Hobby Lobby decision. This bill would have ensured that employers can't stand between a woman and her doctor and protected the rights of all employees to have access to basic health care. This partisan gridlock is outrageous. We deserve to have a real debate on this bill, and it deserves to have a vote. Nearly 20,000 supporters like you have added their name demanding action. The momentum is with us to fix this. Today’s filibuster...

Friend, Add your name today! I was very troubled by the Supreme Court’s recent decision in the Hobby Lobby case. The idea that for-profit corporations can stand in the way of employees accessing basic health care is outrageous. That’s why I’m supporting legislation that would reverse the negative consequences of the Hobby Lobby case. But it’s going to take all of us working together to ensure it passes. Will you join me in calling on Congress to undo the effects of the Hobby Lobby decision? Let me be very clear: a woman should be trusted to make her own healthcare...

Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., announced Monday that 16 former Virginia Republican elected officials have endorsed his re-election bid, including 14 former state legislators as well as former U.S. Sen. John W. Warner and former Gov. Linwood Holton. (snip) The list of Republican Warner supporters includes former Delegates Vincent F. Callahan Jr. of McLean, a former chairman of the House Appropriations Committee; Katherine Waddell of Richmond; L. Preston Bryant Jr. of Richmond, who served as secretary of Natural Resources in Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's Cabinet; Robert S. Bloxom Sr. of Mappsville, who served as secretary of Agriculture and Forestry under...

ERICA YOON | The Roanoke Times Delegates cheer candidate Ed Gillespie during his introduction at the state Republican convention Saturday in Roanoke. Less than 90 minutes after voting began at the convention, Gillespie’s nearest rival, Shak Hill, conceded the nomination to Gillespie. The low attendance — 4,200 delegates had registered but about 2,700 came to Roanoke — may have expedited the balloting. Ed Gillespie, a fixture in national Republican politics, easily won his party’s nomination Saturday to take on Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., setting up a marquee fight with control of the Senate at stake. At 2:50 p.m., less than...

ROANOKE, Virginia — There’s no doubt Ed Gillespie is the underdog in the Virginia Senate race. He’s polled well behind the man he’s trying to unseat, Democrat Mark Warner. The incumbent is the richest member of the Senate and a well-liked figure in the state. Meanwhile, many Virginians still don’t know who Gillespie is. But Gillespie, a former Republican National Committee chairman, is an old hand at campaigns. And now that he’s the candidate, he insists he can pull off the upset. “I assure you I have never analyzed a race more carefully than this one, and it’s a very...

Ed Gillespie is the GOP nominee to run against Mark Warner in November. Shak Hill just conceded.

Anybody else here at RPV convention? Who are you supporting in U.S. Senate race? Showing a video of the greatest President of the 20th Century at the moment. We all know who that is.