Senator Dick Black has ‘strongly endorsed’ Delegate Bob Marshall in the 10th Congressional race for Congress. All of the candidates have been hoping for Black’s support because they know what it means in this important race. Senator Black’s endorsement carries great weight among conservative voters in the 10th district. Several of the republican candidates in this race can now be expected to withdraw from the campaign.
Senator Black has released the following statement:
Senator Dick Black has strongly endorsed Delegate Bob Marshall in the 10th Congressional District race. “Bob Marshall is the most courageous legislator I know. He is a tireless campaigner who represented one-third of the congressional district at one time or another. Bob has won twelve contested races in Loudoun and Prince William Counties.” Black said.
Marshall spent six years on Capitol Hill. As a researcher and Clerk in the U.S. Congress, he devised the legislation that prohibits federal funding of abortions – the now famous Hyde Amendment. In the General Assembly, Marshall passed the Marriage Amendment, the Ban on Partial Birth Abortion and a multitude of other laws dealing with everything from roads and schools to laws affecting privacy and healthcare. He’s an outdoors sportsman and a staunch gun-rights supporter.” Black said. “He is Virginia’s most effective anti-tax warrior. Marshall saved Virginia’s families hundreds of millions in taxes by overturning HB 3202 in the Virginia Supreme Court.”
“No one in the General Assembly knows parliamentary rules better than Bob Marshall,” Black said. “He can tie the other side into knots when he needs to . Debating Bob is like debating the Encyclopedia Britannica.”
“People complain about the status quo in Washington, but they elect the same establishment candidates time and again. If you want the same-ole, same-ole, then Bob Marshall isn’t your guy. However, if you actually want to change the direction of Washington, Bob Marshall is your candidate. Bob Marshall has my wholehearted support.”
9 comments
In other news, today’s blue sky is a real “game changer”.
Kate, I don’t have a dog in this fight, and really like Barbara. I like Bob, too. But it does change the landscape if hardcore social conservatives consolidate behind a single candidate instead of 8 or 9 of them. Dick Black did not have to make an endorsement and, granted, it was unlikely he’d endorse anyone else. But now that he has, it seems to me that it helps Bob be that unity candidate, and it helps persuade a number of the unknowns that perhaps it’s not worth the $7,000 filing fee to have the privilege of getting trampled by the two biggest elephants in the stampede (Bob and Barbara).
I’m not discounting the value of the endorsement and the ramifications you describe, particularly with regards to thinning the herd. Dick Black is a respected figure in 10th district politics. But to be a “game changer” something has to be a surprise, and come on, of course Black was going to endorse Marshall, just like Marshall endorsed Black back when Black was still running.
Fair enough.
Also, I can’t agree that Bob’s the unity candidate – if you look at Barbara’s endorsement list as compared to Marshall’s it’s not even a race – Barbara’s endorsement list run’s circles around Marshall.
I mean the “unity” candidate from among those in the ABC (Anybody But Comstock) crowd. I thought I was pretty clear when I limited it to the “hardcore social conservatives” who might otherwise be backing one of 8 or 9 other candidates.
And yes, BC has a lot of very impressive endorsements, including from tons of conservative rock stars (a list that makes, for instance, Rob Wasinger’s astroturfed endorsements look comical). But Bob is just getting out of the gate…I believe he has more to come.
I don’t think there actually is an “Anybody but Comstock” crowd… just Bob Marshall supporters who think their path to victory is tearing down the last remaining conservative leader inside the Beltway.
How is the most predictable endorsement possible a game-changer?
When Dick Black talks, people listen! Every conservative in the race wanted Black’s endorsement!