Sen. Bryce Reeves announces for Lieutenant Governor

In an announcement a short while ago at the Richmond War Memorial, Reeves joined Sen. Jill Vogel (R-Fauquier) in the 2017 race expected to also draw former House of Delegates candidate Danny Vargas and perhaps form LG candidate Pete Snyder.

Reeves is a former Army Ranger, and a former narcotics detective in Prince William county, and currently owns an insurance business in Stafford. His signature issue has been second amendment rights, with his work in this area earning him ‘A’ ratings from the NRA Political Victory Fund, and 100% ratings from the Virginia Citizens Defense League.

Most recently, Reeves was instrumental in the legislative effort that thwarted Attorney General Mark Herring’s unilateral action against concealed carry reciprocity, result in a significant victory for gun rights and expanded reciprocity for Virginia permit holders.

Vogel has the more moderate voting record of the two, placing the mainstream conservative Reeves toward the right end of the comparison.Vogel’s entry likely reflects some calculation on what method of nomination will be chosen; conventional wisdom says that Vogel would be unlikely to perform as well as Reeves or Snyder in a convention, but that she could do well on a primary ballot.  Vogel appears to have the backing of significant players in the Northern Virginia business community and others who are looking to soften the eventual GOP ticket’s image among NoVa voters, particularly women.

Reeves, by contrast, has solid support among his fellow legislators. “I’m proud to stand with Senator Reeves today and support him as he begins this journey. I am happy to call him a friend, as well as to have known him before he was a Senator—when he was a grassroots leader in the Republican Party,” said Delegate Nick Freitas (R-Culpeper). “Bryce is the conservative leader that the Republican Party and the Commonwealth both need. With his proven track record and the conservative credentials that he carries, he will make an excellent Lt. Governor.”

It’s good to have two strong senators running for the number two statewide spot. The job of the Lieutenant Governor is, first and foremost, to chair the Virginia Senate, so Senate veterans would likely have a leg up in fulfilling those duties.

A full list of current General Assembly members backing Reeves is below:

Delegate Rich Anderson
Delegate Dickie Bell
Delegate Kathy Byron
Delegate Jeff Campbell
Senator Bill Carrico
Senator Ben Chafin
Delegate Mark Cole
Senator John Cosgrove
Senator Bill DeSteph
Delegate Mark Dudenhefer
Senator Siobhan Dunnavant
Delegate Peter Farrell
Delegate Matt Fariss
Delegate Buddy Fowler
Delegate Nick Freitas
Senator Tom Garrett
Senator Emmett Hanger
Delegate Chris Head
Delegate Bill Howell
Delegate Tim Hugo
Delegate Terry Kilgore
Delegate Jay Leftwich
Delegate Jim LeMunyon
Senator Ryan McDougle
Delegate Jackson Miller
Delegate Jason Miyares
Delegate Will Morefield
Delegate Rick Morris
Senator Steve Newman
Senator Tommy Norment
Delegate Bobby Orrock
Delegate Roxann Robinson
Senator Bill Stanley
Senator Richard Stuart
Senator Glen Sturtevant
Delegate Scott Taylor
Senator Frank Wagner

This race could get very interesting if Snyder actually jumps in, or if someone more closely aligned with the conservative movement makes a strong play.  At the moment, the current players feel compelled by competitive pressures to move early, despite the need to focus on the 2016 races.  It’s worth bearing in mind that the nomination is more than a year away, so a lot can happen between now and then.

Never a dull moment in Virginia politics.