Cheney visits region to support Triplett's run
BY MIKE STILL
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER Wednesday, March 31, 2004ABINGDON – Vice President Dick Cheney plans to head to Southwest Virginia next month to boost Ninth District Republican congressional hopeful Kevin Triplett in his run against longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher.
Jim Ferreira, chairman of the Ninth District Republican Committee, confirmed Tuesday that Cheney would visit the region in April to help Triplett’s fund-raising efforts.
"They’re serious about the race," Ferreira said of Cheney’s expected appearance. "I’m pretty excited, and it’s a great opportunity for the area. They don’t know every detail yet, though."
While Ferreira confirmed Cheney’s upcoming visit, Triplett and Cheney’s own press office were less forthcoming.
"I don’t think I could comment until we got closer to that point," Triplett said Tuesday before Ferreira’s confirmation. "I’m not in a position to comment."
Triplett said "sure, absolutely" when asked whether he felt voters had the right to know whether Cheney was coming to the region to raise money for his campaign. Triplett did not return phone messages to his campaign headquarters and home phone Tuesday night following Ferreira’s confirmation.
Cheney press spokesman Kevin Kellems said that due to security reasons, details of the vice president’s travel schedule are released only 48 hours prior to each stop. Cheney already has made stops to support a number of Republican congressional incumbents and challengers in an effort to build House and Senate majorities favorable to President Bush’s policies, Kellems said.
Boucher on Tuesday said he would have no reaction to Cheney’s visit until more details were available.
"This is obviously early in the year," the congressman said. "I’m not focused on the campaign. I’m busy with the work the people have elected me to do."
Cheney’s visit was the latest sign of White House interest in the Fightin’ Ninth. White House Political Director Matt Schlapp came to Abingdon earlier this month to announce that Boucher has been targeted by the National Republican Congressional Committee in the November election.
Part of the interest, according to Schlapp and Triplett, is Triplett’s own success in fund-raising compared to his three predecessors, all of whom Boucher defeated. In the last six months of 2003, Triplett raised $218,147, compared to Boucher’s $404,151. But at the end of that same period, thanks to reserves from previous years, Boucher maintained an $868,170 war chest compared to Triplett’s $190,040.
Triplett – a former NASCAR executive and, like Boucher, a Southwest Virginia native – has maintained a strong NASCAR theme in campaigning.
He makes frequent references to his own NASCAR background, has a contributor list heavy with racing officials and held a press conference last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway.
But even Boucher shared the racing limelight, serving as the Food City 500’s grand marshal on Sunday. More than 160,000 people were in attendance.
This is great news. I may break my own rule and toss some $$ to Kevin off this.