Sen.s Mark Herring and Mark Obenshain share the same first name, but little else

The first debate between Virginia’s opposing candidates for VA Attorney General, Virginia Sen. Mark R. Herring (D-Loudoun) and Virginia Sen. Mark D. Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg) quickly revealed an ocean of differences between the two in what was typically described by the mainstream media as a “sparring” match.

Even though neither candidate threw a physical punch during their debate, their verbal jabs created a tense and abrasive atmosphere that felt more like an episode of Jerry Springer than a political exchange between two legislative aficionados. In other words, it was fun to view!

At one point in the debate, Herring stated that Sen. Obenshain would view the job as attorney general “through a prism of radical extremism.” I can still feel the heat from that bomb that Sen. Herring dropped on Obenshain.

Obenshain responded by claiming that Herring would attempt to fulfill the duties of attorney general according to his own political beliefs, not with the objectivity necessary of Virginia’s top lawyer. But if anyone has used the office of attorney general for their own political purposes, and according to their own political beliefs, it’s none other than Obenshain’s fellow party member, Ken Cuccinelli.

Each candidate has different views on same-sex marriage, gun control, the rights of women to have an abortion(s). Herring, for example, is in favor of expanding background checks for guns. Obenshain seemed to agree, in part. Obenshain said, “We need to make sure guns are out of the hands of those that should not have them. But imposing further restrictions on law-abiding citizens is not the solution.” But this seemingly subtle difference is actually quite substantial.

It will be interesting to see how ‘independent’ voters in Virginia perceived the debate (i.e., who “won”). And for my own part, I hope that the candidates move beyond the same-sex marriage, gun control, and abortion rights issues. What about, for example, the expansion of health care, or government ease-dropping?

Along the fighting thematic lines of the mainstream media, both candidates appear to be more than willing to trade blow for blow and not dance around each other for 9 rounds. It should be a lot of fun to watch!