Well Virginia sports fans, the ‘race’ for the Executive
Mansion in the Commonwealth got a little less interesting after Lt. Gov. Bill
Bolling’s recent announcement that he would not be running as an independent
for governor.[1]
Bolling cited three reasons for his decision. First, it’s
difficult to run for governor when you’re short on funds. Bolling noted that
the obstacle of raising money was one main contributing factor to his decision.
Second, Bolling said he was reluctant to cut ties with the Republican Party
even though he feels a “growing dissatisfaction” with Virginia’s political
climate (mainly due to the far right and uncompromising positions of many
within Virginia’s Republican Party. Bolling’s “growing dissatisfaction” with
politics in Virginia was his third reason for not running for governor.
However, Bolling appears ready, willing, and able to
continue giving his opinion about what is wrong with Virginia’s politics and,
in particular, Ken Cuccinelli. As an “independent voice,” Bolling will attempt
to balance a political scene that Bolling implies has run amok.
In an email Bolling sent to his supporters making the announcement
he wouldn’t run for governor, he said this: “Throughout this process my focus
has been on one thing – what’s best for Virginia? I love Virginia and I want to
make certain that we have a Governor who is committed to governing our state in
a mainstream way; a Governor who will keep his focus on the big issues facing
our state and work with Republicans and Democrats to solve problems…”[2]
Hold on, so Bolling is saying that he wants a reasonable
politics? Outrageous!
Even though Bolling is hardly the paragon of progressive
values I’d like to see in elected office, he’s part of a dying species of politicians
(whether only recently or not, whether sincerely or not) who have chosen to
take ‘the middle path’.
And with Bolling officially out of the race for governor, an
importantly critical voice may have also left with him. Bolling no doubt
understood that he was always a long-shot for governor, even as the Republican
nominee. But at the very least, as an independent, Bolling could have been the
relatively unbiased voice of concern for all Virginians.
And yes, it does fuel my defense of Bolling that his
critiques of the Virginia political climate seemed to fall almost exclusively
on the Republican Party in general, and Ken Cuccinelli in particular.
But if a spade is a spade, call it a spade, regardless of what
party, what nationality, what religion, or what color that spade is. In short,
speak the truth, always. I have no illusions that Bolling could have simply
found a political niche he wanted to play out, but what he said was true and I hope
that Virginia’s Democratic Party candidate for governor will do the same.
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