Election Day in SWAC area ... ongoing updates

It's Election Day 2013 in Virginia. The polls are open ... voters are voting, candidate supporters are greeting them, and volunteers are sending them out the door with "I Voted" stickers.

The weather is good ... a cold, frosty start to the day with temps in the 20s is expected to lead to a high in the 50s under overcast skies.

What an odd year it has been with some newspapers refusing to endorse anyone for governor while others encouraged write-in votes for Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling. Many are happy to see this election cycle finally come to an end.  For many, it marks the finish of the daily barrage of campaign emails, robocalls, and television ads.

Virginia is being considered a bellwether for the country. The tea party and Libertarian wings of the Virginia Republican Party have their dream team of candidates in Ken Cuccinelli, E.W. Jackson, and Mark Obenshain for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general. Four years after the Republican team led by Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling swept into office with historic leads, will it happen again?

This is a notoriously red area of the Commonwealth so what's going on in the central Shenandoah Valley area that includes Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County? I'll pass along news as I hear it.

10:15 a.m.: Churchville precinct had light but steady turnout. The voting location within Churchville Elementary School had been moved with only one table for check-in as opposed to the usual two. About half a dozen people were in line to sign in; two machines were in use. Interestingly, there was a card table set up with a McAuliffe sign and materials but no presence from the Republicans.

2:00 p.m.: Wilson Precinct. Steady, light turnout continued.

7:10 p.m.: Polls have closed and the wait begins for returns to be posted and announced.

Poll proves John McCain correct about shutdown blame falling on GOP

A new Quinnipiac poll reporting 72% of Americans blame Republicans for shutting down the government has proven that Senator John McCain was correct in his assessment that a shutdown would not be good for Republicans:

Senior Republicans like Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) have long maintained that a government shutdown is a political loser for their party, an argument backed by polling. A CNN/ORC International poll released Monday showed that more Americans will blame the GOP than Obama for a government shutdown.

Now this senior statesman who was a Vietnam War prisoner of war is the subject of a recall petition in Arizona, apparently activated by Libertarians and tea partiers.

With 72% of Americans blaming Republicans for the government shutdown, these factions may want to listen to the experience of John McCain ... but I won't hold my breath waiting for that to happen.

RPV convention analysis from the Valley

Dr. Kurt Michael of Fishersville sat down Friday with news reporter Tom Dempsey of WHSV TV-3 to discuss the Republican Party of Virginia's convention to pick candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.

From the WHSV TV-3 interview:

On top of choosing the nominees, former Augusta County Republican Committee Chairman Dr. Kurt Michael says one of the main goals of the convention will be to bring the party together.

"What's important about this convention is Ken Cuccinelli will have to pull together three factions within the Republican party. Currently, we have Ron Paul libertarians, establishment Republicans, and Tea Party activists," he explained. "It's extremely important that the Republican party moves as a unit into November's election."

Dr. Michael also said the importance of the convention cannot be understated.

After Virginia went to President Barack Obama and Senator Tim Kaine last year, Republicans must get back on track in 2013 or risk severe consequences.

"If we do not win the governor's seat, that could set the Republican party back 15-20 years," said Dr. Michael. "We are in a purple state. It's turned blue. The Democrats will be pouring all their resources into the state of Virginia to win this seat and to solidify a base...."

Dr. Michael has been involved in Republican politics for more than 20 years. He is a contributor providing political cartoons about current issues to the Virginia Politics On Demand (VPOD) news source that is covering the RPV Convention, and VaPoliticalPineapple.com.

14th Senate District is loss for Rand Paul and Ron Paul

Thursday night's landslide victory by Republican John Cosgrove for the 14th Senate District nomination over Libertarian Chris Stearns is a huge loss for Rand Paul and Ron Paul. Both endorsed Stearns in this firehouse primary. Stay tuned....

See also John Cosgrove wins in landslide victory

Really? Libertarians question law enforcement actions in Boston

My thoughts exactly, Fishersville Mike:

Reporter just asked about Miranda warnings. Really?

Meanwhile,  Libertarians and the president of the Rutherford Institute are claiming the lock-down and door-to-door searches in Watertown, Massachusetts, bypassed civil liberties. Karen Kwiatkowski, a well-known Ron Paul follower, echoed other Libertarians when she wrote on Facebook, "6th District Republican votes for the horribly flawed and unconstitutional CISPA! We weren't watching because FEDGOV is conducting martial law in Boston."

Really? Really? I never cease to be amazed at those who try to be armchair quarterbacks while seated safely away from the action.

Walk a mile in the shoes of law enforcement and emergency workers in the middle of the Boston Marathon bomber manhunt including gun battles.


Walk a mile in the shoes of the 26-year-old M.I.T. police officer shot and killed, or in the shoes of the 33-year-old Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority officer, a husband and father and VMI grad, lying in a hospital bed in critical condition. A city was in fear for five days ... three people at the marathon were killed and over 100 others injured. Limbs blown off, terror on the streets, no sleep.

Tell those people you disagree with how law enforcement handled this situation. And while you're at it, watch the video of thousands on the streets of Boston waving American flags, shouting "USA! USA!", cheering, and applauding those men and women who worked to bring peace back to the streets.

And when you voice your objections to those First Responders and citizens who lived through it all ... I want to be there to watch their reactions. Heh.

UPDATE #1: Why Ron Paul is slamming  Boston's response to the bombings 

UPDATE #2: Glenn Beck compares Boston lock-down to Nazi German