Tom Garrett is Not Establishment

I decided to write something uncontroversial for once. I was bored.*In the interest of full disclosure, I tend to like people who smoke cigars with me.

Tom Garrett is a friend of mine. If I had a vote in the 5th District, I’d be voting for the man. When he announced for Congress, I was excited. I think he’ll go to DC and shake some things up. When you spend time with him, you find him to be a fun, wisecracking, intelligent, and laid back guy. When he’s serving in the Senate, he’s a passionate defender of conservative values. That’s the man I know.

Now, I do not know most of the other candidates in the race. I assume they are all fine men. Other than being aware that they are all conservatives and that Jim McKelvey was fun to be around when he came along during the Americans for Prosperity bus tours that we did in 2010, I do not have much of an opinion on them, but I do know Tom. Imagine my surprise to hear that he was now being labeled as a member of the Establishment in what I guess is a bit of a smear campaign by his opponents? 

Tom Garrett, who was labeled as too conservative by some during his first State Senate run, is Establishment?!

Tom Garrett, the guy who started the United Self Defense Law Group with Ken Cuccinelli? He’s Establishment?!!

Tom Garrett, the Senator who basically by his lonesome fought to stop Norment’s power grab in the Senate just last year is Establishment?!!?

Tom Garrett, the Senator who’s called for drug testing for Welfare recipients is Establishment?!??!!!!

I’m sorry, but that is a pretty ridiculous charge to level at Tom. I don’t need to be long-winded on this because it’s an obvious fact. He’s definitely not a member of the Establishment, unless you simply define the term as “someone who ran for office successfully at least once”.

With all the other stuff going on this year, both nationally and within the Commonwealth, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.