According to the Washington Post, Congressman Rob Wittman intends to run for Governor of Virginia against presumed favorite Ed Gillespie. I respect both of these men, despite having supported Congressman Wittman’s last Republican opponent, Anthony Riedel, and Ed Gillespie’s Libertarian opponent, Robert Sarvis. These two men seem so similar, too similar to run against one another. Why, with all of Gillespie’s money, backing, and inevitability, does Wittman decide that now is his moment?
Moreover, we have no one to replace Rob Wittman in the first district. Believe me, I’ve checked. Something strange is happening.
The fact is, that two men of equally impressive political histories don’t challenge one another unless someone (someone with money) doesn’t like the other. So, with all hands on deck for Gillespie, who stands to benefit from a Wittman candidacy?
Congressman Wittman lacks Mr. Gillespie’s entrenched Washington credentials, so I am struggling to discover the end game here. If Gillespie defeats Wittman, but Wittman gets noticed outside of his district, does that indicate that Wittman is actually more interested in the Senate than the Governorship?
Over the last year, Congressman Wittman’s legislative record went from questionable to pristine, by conservative standards. Was this last year, a year I could find no fault in, with regard to Wittman’s representation, a strategy to offer conservatives an alternative to Ed Gillespie?
Clearly this is a development that we Virginians will follow closely. But if Wittman becomes governor, who takes his Congressional seat? There are no good candidates. Believe me, I’ve been looking for one. Though, I gave up on this over the last year, as the Congressman’s voting record mirrored everything conservative and constitutionalist Republicans could ask of a Congressman.
Coincidently, the very second I decide that Congressman Wittman is the best we can hope for out of Virginia’s historic 1st District, he decides to run for Governor? I must be missing something.
I’ll reach out to the Congressman on Monday, but this development defies imagination. I get it though. Congressman Wittman will not be up for reelection in 2017 and he is running unopposed in 2016. He has nothing to lose.
My confusion is caused by the fact that Wittman and Gillespie seem so similar. Obviously, I’m missing something. Now all I need is to discover just what it is that I’m missing.
Originally published at pendletonpenn.com
