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By Mason Votes Director Christian Smith
In a WTOP interview last Friday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell dropped the F-bomb. “I’m going to find other ways to be able to fund transportation. I’ve outlined 12 f–king funding mechanisms that are creative, that are entrepreneurial,” said McDonnell.
Taylor Thornley, press assistant for the McDonnell campaign, made the following statement to Mason Votes today, “Long and short, the audio clip comes from a friendly conversation on-air between Bob McDonnell and Mark about transportation. At one point Bob was speaking quickly and in trying to say “funding mechanism”, he stumbled and accidentally said another word. It was an unfortunate stumble over the words, and Bob McDonnell apologizes for the mistake. Anyone who spends any time around Bob knows he does not use such language. It was an accident and it is that simple. However, I do want to note [Christian] that it does say a lot about the Deeds campaign that they would spend so much time and energy aggressively pushing this absolutely trivial matter to every blog and media outlet they can think of. It’s disappointing that they have so little regard for Virginia’s voters, and the issues that they care about.”
McDonnell audio from the blog “NotLarrySabato”
By Mason Votes Director Christian Smith
George Mason University has announced that it will be hosting two political debates this fall. The first will occur Sept. 24 between lieutenant gubernatorial candidates Bill Bolling and Jodi Wagner and will be followed by an Oct. 7 debate between attorney general candidates Ken Cuccinelli and Steve Shannon. The debates are being sponsored by Mason, Prince William Committee of 100, Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce, Prince William County-Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce and Northern Virginia Community College.
The Sept. 24 debate will be moderated by WJLA‘s Bruce DePuyt and will begin at 8 p.m. The Attorney General debate will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be moderated by Scott Thuman, also of WJLA. Both events will be held at the Prince William Campus‘ Verizon Auditorium.
Mason’s chapters of the College Republicans and College Democrats have been invited to provide questions for the candidates.
Virginia Governor Tim Kaine announced on Tuesday more details of the additional budget cuts that he had previously promised.
“We did do reductions to higher [education]. The net reductions to higher [education] on average… is about a 7.7 percent reduction to higher [education] That amount is slightly over $100 million,” said Kaine during the announcement. “We do believe, based on our discussions with the higher [education] institutions that they will be able to manage to this.”
According to Dan Walsch, George Mason University press secretary, Mason will be hit with an eight percent cut which will translate to $17.5 million. “It’s significant,” said Walsch. “We will spread it out as much as we can. That doesn’t mean it will be mathematically even but we’ll try to be even handed.”
When asked if the cut would mean layoffs, Walsch said, “I don’t think so, but it probably will mean some realignment, reorganization, perhaps combining programs. In terms of out and out layoffs, I doubt it but [the cut] is significant.
Below is video of Kaine’s full budget cuts announcement.
Photo by flickr user World Resources.
Photo by flickr user vademocrats.
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By Mason Votes Director Christian Smith
Updated Sept. 10, 10:45 p.m.
The George Mason University chapter of the College Republicans will be taking a group into the District on Saturday to participate in the Tea Party Express. Saturday’s march will be the culmination of the express’ 15 day tour of America which began in California on August 28. The tour seeks to “highlight some of the worst offenders in Congress who have voted for higher spending, higher taxes, and government intervention in the lives of American families and businesses,” according to their website.
The College Republicans will be meeting at the Fairfax Campus’ CUE Bus stop at 8 a.m. According to their website, a larger group will gather at the Freedom Plaza at 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue at 9 a.m. and the actual march to the Capitol will begin at 11:30 a.m. At 1 p.m. a protest will begin at the Capitol’s West Front.
By Mason Votes Director Christian Smith
The George Mason University chapter of the College Republicans’ first meeting brought to campus Keith Fimian, 2010 candidate for 11th district House of Representatives seat, and Eric Brescia, candidate for House of Delegates in the 47th district.
Brescia began the evening by describing himself as a libertarian-like Republican, announcing that if elected he would work towards repealing the Marshall-Newman amendment.
The economy, however, was the biggest topic of the evening.
“I like numbers, I’m good at numbers but what we are doing is absolutely irresponsible,” said Fimian. “These politicians are reaching into the public troughs…these people do not care about you.”
Fimian, who announced his candidacy this summer, is just coming off his loss to Gerry Connolly (D-11) last November.
“I will win this seat the next time around because my ideas are better then Gerry Connolly…My ideas are better than stale old Democrat ideas.”
The College Republicans next meeting will be Sept. 15.
By Mason Votes Director Christian Smith
Mason Votes has learned that Anna Marie Choi, Green candidate in the 37th District House of Delegates race, has dropped out of the race. In an exclusive message to Mason Votes, Robert Taylor, spokesman for the Choi campaign, said “As far as I know, Anna Choi gave up and let down all her supporters.”
Choi’s website had been running on a platform that highlighted transportation issues especially the establishment of a light rail. It is unclear how much of her campaign was integrated with the company Europe Korea Resort. Taylor and Choi both worked for the company and her website’s url was www.EuropeKoreaResort.com. The campaign website also displays advertisement for the company including a promotional video.