Delegate Morgan Griffith and the traveling Seal Show!!!

While at the Salem Fair this weekend, I came across this scene. I'm not quite sure what Delegate Griffith (R-Salem) had in mind by hanging his campaign banners at a traveling Seal Show, but there they are. There's gotta be an appropriate metaphor that fits this image. Regardless, if the Republican Majority Leader for the House of Delegates is looking for applause from the crowd for being one of the leaders in the House that voted down extension of Unemployment Benefits to struggling Virginia workers, the only ones clapping are the seals.

Traveling carnivals are notorious for rigged games, lame sideshows (Bearded Lady, Smallest Horse in the World, Monkey Boy), shaky rides and P. T. Barnum. I guess the message here from Delegate Griffith is "There's a sucker born every minute." In stead of throwing him a fish, maybe voters in the 8th House District should just throw him out of office.

If you want to suggest a good, bad, witty, or lame label for this picture, feel free to comment. Who knows, we can make a contest out of this and see where it goes.

Campaign Financial Reports: Statewide Candidates and House of Delegates (selected)

The financials are out for all the Gubernatorial Candidates and all have more than $500 K left to get them through June 9th. That’s the only thing that they have in common. Here’s the rundown for Statewide and selected House of Delegate races from VPAP:

PERIOD COVERING APRIL 1 - MAY 27

Governor

Creigh Deeds (D) – $ 678,428 raised $ 1.3 million spent $ 521,950 COH

Terry McAuliffe (D) – $ 1.8 million raised $ 3.0 million spent $ 1.18 million COH

Brian Moran (D) – $ 844,242 raised $ 960,892 spent $ 707,237 COH

Bob McDonnell (R) – $3.7 million raised $ 2.3 million spent $ 4.89 million COH

McDonnell is trying to bank as much money as possible while trying to fight the DGA and Common Sense Virginia for his support to turn away federal unemployment benefits. McAuliffe has the advantage going into the Democratic Primary where low voter turn-out is projected (less than 225,000). McAuliffe has the largest Field Staff and the most money to spend. He is better positioned to GOTV his supporters than Deeds and Moran. Then again, the Newspaper Endorsements have been adding up for Deeds. We’ll see on June 9th.

Lieutenant Governor

Mike Signer (D) – $ 141,690 raised $ 134,582 spent $ 183,562 COH

Jody Wagner (D) – $ 347,730 raised $ 487,719 spent $ 272,885 COH

Bill Bolling (R) – $ 448,075 raised $ 252,621 spent $ 928,707 COH

Bill Bolling will again be the Republican Candidate for Lt. Governor and has the clear money advantage heading into the General Election. Jody Wagner has outlasted all but one of the Democratic Candidates, Mike Signer. While Wagner has the name ID and money advantage, Signer has come on strong through the netroots and internet fundraising for having a late start in the Lt. Governor race. The big question mark here is who will win over the more than 65% of undecided voters as of the last statewide poll?

Attorney General

Steve Shannon (D) – $ 227,599 raised $ 141,459 spent $ 1.01 million COH

Ken Cuccinelli (R) – $ 116,319 raised $ 142,541 spent $ 134,622 COH

Steve Shannon has the definite money advantage heading into the General Election. Virginia voters will have a clear choice between the two. Ken Cuccinelli’s strong (extreme) social conservative politics are even hard for mainstream Virginian’s to stomach. Outlook points to a Democratic pick-up of the AG’s office.

House of Delegates

District 7: Del. Dave Nutter (R) $ 15,055 raised $ 6,839 spent $ 30,111 COH

Peggy Frank (D) $ 28,148 raised $ 11,682 spent $ 16,623 COH

District 17: Gwen Mason (D) $ 33,495 raised $ 8,986 spent $ 53,391 COH

Republican Candidate TBD

District 23: Del. S. Valentine (D) $ 83,059 raised $ 21,592 spent $ 171,199 COH
Republican Candidate TBD