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There is a special election today in parts of Fairfax County for the 41st District House of Delegates seat, which was vacated when former Delegate Dave Marsden (D-37, Fairfax) won the special election to fill the Senate seat vacated by Ken Cuccinelli after he was elected Attorney General. You have until 7:00 p.m. to vote. The candidates are Republican Kerry Bolognese and Democrat Eileen Filler-Corn. Our sister organization, TFF Action, published and distributed a voter guide for this election. If you have not seen it and have not voted, or know people planning to vote, you still have time to read it yourself and e-mail it to others so they can make an informed decision.

Remember, special elections are very low-turnout affairs. Your vote is magnified in a special election. We hope the people of Fairfax in the 41st House of Delegates district are well informed as they go to the polls today.

Click here to see the TFF Action Voter Guide for the 41st District House of Delegates special election.

Here’s a reminder to our readers in Fairfax County: There is a special election tomorrow, in the 37th Senate district, which is made up of precincts in the Braddock, Sully and Springfield supervisor districts. The election is to fill the seat of Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli, who resigned from the Virginia Senate after his election victory in November.

Polls open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. and voting is at your normal polling place. Click here to see if your precinct is in the district. Bring your voter registration card or a picture ID.

Voting is a sacred responsibility that we need to exercise every time we have the opportunity. People of faith turned out in record percentages for November’s election and we elected three pro-life, pro-family candidates to the three top offices in the state. This election could be nearly as important since the Virginia Senate is so closely divided (a 21-19 Democrat majority). The last election for this seat was decided by only 92 votes, so your vote does make a difference.

To see where the candidates stand on issues important to the family and to people of faith, click here, to visit tffaction.org. We have prepared voter guides especially for this election in English, Spanish and Korean. You can also watch footage, by clicking here, from a candidate forum hosted last week by the Fairfax Family Forum. Be an informed voter, and support the candidate that stands for the values that you believe in. (Click here the to read about the role of the tax issue as well as how one candidate’s “home” is a room in a friend’s house, and click here to read the role of social issues.)

Thank you for making the commitment to go out and vote tomorrow. Please pass this link to your like-minded friends and family members in the 37th district.

Video became available over the weekend of Thursday night’s Fairfax Family Forum candidate forum, held at Fair Oaks Church, for the candidates in the 37th Senate district special election. But an peculiar thing happened on the way to the forum. Only one candidate showed up — Republican Stephen Hunt. Democrat Dave Marsden apparently had another agenda and couldn’t find time to talk to voters about family and traditional values. An interesting tactic coming from any candidate who wants to represent “all the people.” It’s one thing to respectfully disagree, and at least hear where certain constituents come from on their views. It’s another to blow them off entirely. Even Barack Obama took questions from Pastor Rick Warren at his Saddleback Church. We’ll see if this serves to further motivate values voters to turn out to the polls.

The election is tomorrow, January 12. The district is in Fairfax County and polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The election is necessary because of the vacancy in the seat due to the election of Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli. Here is a portion of the forum as provided by the Fairfax Family Forum via Viemo:

Republican Steve Hunt attended the Fairfax Family Forum candidate forum for the candidates in the 37th Senate district special election. His opponent, Democrat Dave Marsden, must have had something else to do, rather than discuss with voters issues regarding family and traditional values.

Annotations & Elucidations

Like Deeds, Like Marsden; Like Kaine, Like Marsden; Like Deeds, Like Kaine

We’re keeping the news to a minimum today: the snow is melting and people are less captive and not as inclined to be in front of the computer as they get back to last minute shopping and other Christmas preparations. Most of the news around the state concerns Governor Tim Kaine’s outlandish income tax increase proposal. Easy for him to do — he leaves office in three weeks. Governor-elect Bob McDonnell and the majority House Republicans already say it’s a non-starter. So perhaps the big story, or at least the most intriguing, is the turn taken in the special election in the 37th Senate district (in Fairfax County) to replace Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli, between Republican Steve Hunt and Democrat Dave Marsden, currently a delegate. Democrats think, because of recent trends in Fairfax, they can win the seat; the GOP, with its reverberating rebound last month, sense the tide has turned back their way, even in Northern Virginia, where its candidates did exceedingly well in the recent election.

Delegate Marsden, who moved into a friend’s house to establish residency in the district, now has pro-abortion allies railing against some old literature a crisis pregnancy center stopped distributing some time ago. Hunt used to serve on the center’s board.

Two things are absolutely peculiar about this: First, Delegate Marsden, must not have paid much attention to the top of his own ticket last month as Democrat standard bearer Creigh Deeds (remember him?) clamored about abortion and social issues while the rest of Virginia concerned itself with jobs. Marsden, himself, considered to be in a safe House district, barely escaped to re-election. Now, Governor Kaine wants to repeal the car tax cut and raise the income tax, and Delegate Marsden, given his record, is most likely right there with him. Again, just like Senator Deeds, who recommended raising taxes during a recession (see Jeff Schaprio’s analysis in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, below).

The second oddity is that while the pregnancy center has ceased distributing the information, those attacking it and Mr. Hunt are providing this type of sick information (see video of Planned Parenthood abortionist and counselor talking to prospective patient),where “patients” are advised that abortions are safer than giving birth. So, it’s mini-campaign redux featuring residency, raising taxes in a recession and old flyers versus jobs and sticking up for the unborn.  

News:

Antiabortion pregnancy center figures in state Senate race (Washington Post)

McDonnell, GOP lawmakers assail Kaine’s budget plan (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Kaine proposes 1% rise in state income tax (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

From deep in the red, Gov. Kaine proposes a brutal state budget (The Daily Press)

‘Painful cuts’ part of Kaine’s Virginia budget proposal (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Kaine proposes replacing car tax with income one (Washington Times)

Virginia governor proposes an income tax increase (Washington Post)

At least 7 GOP candidates eager to take on Perriello (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Analysis:

With budget, Kaine leaves tough task for both parties (Jeff Schapiro/Richmond Times-Dispatch)

During the recently completed statewide campaign, Family Foundation Action, our sister organization, conducted its largest ever voter education and mobilization effort — Winning Matters 2009. We know those efforts were not in vain as a record percentage of values voters voted in the November 3 election. Our work, though, is not through, and your financial support is needed.

In November, Virginians — to the great consternation of hyper liberals — resoundingly  chose Senator Ken Cuccinelli, with 58 percent of the vote, as their next Attorney General. However, his election created a vacancy in the Virginia Senate. Now, there will be a special election in the 37th Senate district (Fairfax County) on January 12, 2010, to fill out the remainder of the term. Because this seat is critical to advancing our pro-family agenda, we are planning to continue our Winning Matters efforts for the duration of this campaign. Our project manager and two area coordinators will continue their work on focusing, educating and mobilizing values voters for this upcoming special election.

Senator Cuccinelli has been a champion for issues that are important to the family and to Christians. He has been a leader in the fight to defund Planned Parenthood, protect property rights, bring transparency to government spending and strengthen marriage. In 2006, he was the only elected official who actively campaigned for the Marriage Amendment in Fairfax County. This year, he successfully shepherded the “Choose Life” license plate bill through both houses of the General Assembly.

It is vitally important that his seat be filled by another pro-family conservative. Senator Cuccinelli’s senatorial district has become very competitive. The last Senate race there was decided by only 92 votes. In a special election, the turnout is typically very low and every vote carries an even greater importance.

The Family Foundation plans to educate pro-family voters on the contrasting views of the two candidates and needs your gift to do so. Please donate today.

The Republican candidate for the seat is Steve Hunt, a long time conservative activist, and a former elected at-large member of the Fairfax County School Board. The Democrat candidate is Delegate Dave Marsden (D-41, Burke). Delegate Marsden did not live in the 37th Senate district but “moved” into a friend’s house in the district to be eligible to run for the seat. He earned a 20 percent score on The Family Foundation Action’s 2008-09 General Assembly Report Card.

We believe it is every Christian’s sacred duty as a citizen to participate in the electoral process and vote their Biblical values. Our Winning Matters staff is dedicated to making sure that happens on January 12. To ensure that voters are educated about where the candidates for this Senate seat stand, we are producing a Special Election Voter Guide for the 37th Senate seat. This guide will not only educate voters, but also remind them of this special election — less than one month away.

But to do all that we have planned we need your support. We spent nearly all of the funds raised for Winning Matters during the general election. So, to support Winning Matters’ efforts in this very important election, we hope that you will click here and send a special “Win the 37th!” Winning Matters contribution.

It may be December, and it may be a one month campaign, but it’s already a hot one in the 37th Senate District special election (to be held January 12) to fill the seat of Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli. It was guaranteed to be so from the beginning: The Dems think the seat belongs to them because of they way Fairfax County has trended recently.

As the number one targeted Republican in 2007, they thought they had Cuccinelli dead in their sights, but he escaped with a victory of less than 100 votes. (Now, he’s attorney general, surely to endless liberal heartburn, mental anguish, knashing of teeth and sleepless nights.) But a Democrat victory now would be a welcome buttress to its current one seat firewall against GOP policy initiatives.

However, the climate is much different now. The GOP did very well in Fairfax in November and has momentum and the weight of landslide victors Governor-elect Bob McDonnell and re-elected Lt. Governor Bill Bolling as well as Cuccinelli behind its nominee, Stephen Hunt. Hunt has been elected county wide before (to the Fairfax County School Board), while the best the Demscould come up with is Delegate Dave Marsden (D-41, Fairfax), who barely won re-election in November to his House seat, which partially overlaps the Senate district.

But it’s not only a matter of a changed political atmosphere, but also Marsden’s residency, at least for now. He doesn’t live in the district, but a couple of weeks ago took up in a room in a friend’s house that is in the district (see Washington Times).

But political climate and residency aren’t the only things that have changed. Now, Delegate Marsden claims to be a low-tax guy. Talk about reading political tea leaves, or at least election results. In a recent direct mail piece, Delegate Marsden stakes out the low-tax mantle, claiming he will  “Hold the line on taxes,” although he has consistently voted for numerous tax increases in the House of Delegates, including this $2 billion increase (click here) in 2008. It would have raised taxes on car and home purchases (just what we need in a recession) and encouraged a Northern Virginia sales tax increase.

When voters ask for change, residency and glossing over voting records isn’t what they have in mind. Virginia Democrats won several elections in Virginia prior to November by basically saying, “We’re not Republicans.” Now, facing a statewide catastrophe, they have to say who they are, for once. According to the mailer released by Delegate Marsden, they still aren’t.

Because of some great and committed volunteers, we now have more distribution sites around the state where you can pick up The Family Foundation of Virginia 2009 Voter Guides this weekend. If you do not live near one of the locations listed yesterday, check the list below. If one of the new locations is more convenient, contact the volunteer closest to you and make arrangements to get the Voter Guides. If that doesn’t work, or if no location is close to you, call us at 804-343-0010 and ask how we can get the guides to you. We also will put them online for you to print and reproduce for distrubution at the TFF Action Web site.

Fairfax County

Contact: Brian Mazenec at brian@fairfaxfamilyforum.org

Fredericksburg and Surrounding Areas

Contact: Donna Moore at 540-538-5963

Fauquier and Culpeper Area

Contact: Gay Bass at 540-788-4946

Fluvanna and Albemarle Area

Contact: Feda Morton at dtmorton@firstva.com

Bristol

Contact: Pastor Chad Gardner at 276-494-6620

Abingdon

Contact: Pastor Bill Haywood at 276-698-4987

Wythe County

Contact: Diane Winston at 276-223-0529

Petersburg Area

Contact: Jeff Dean at 804-731-0434

Jeff also has a pick-up location Saturday, from 1:00-3:00 p.m., in the parking lot of First Assembly of God Petersburg, 25213 Ferndale Road.

This from the Washington Post’s Virginia Politics Blog, posted last night by Fredrick Kunkle:

At the Democratic Club meeting in Fairfax County’s Greenspring Village retirement community, there was no hemming and hawing Tuesday about whether Virginia should boost the gas tax to fix Northern Virginia’s roads.

From the mouths of lieutenant governor candidate Jody Wagner, fellow Democrat Del. Vivian E. Watts, and several folks in the audience, the message was: Bring it on. …

But the thrust of her remarks suggested that she believes not only that higher gas taxes must be part of a long-term solution, but that other new revenues might also be necessary.

Really, there’s nothing to add to such a frank, Mondale-like admission. Oh, wait. There is. Ms. Wagner has forfeited all credibility in calling “negative” the television ads Lt. Governor Bill Bolling is running, which highlight her tax increase pedigree. By her own admission, the ads are, in fact . . . very true!

Jody Wagner calls for higher taxes in front of fellow Democrats, then calls this negative. Go figure.

A just released SurveyUSA poll for Roanoke CBS television affiliate WDBJ-TV/7 has all three Republican statewide candidates up by double digits.

Gubernatorial candidate, former Attorney General Bob McDonnell leads Democrat Creigh Deeds, a senator from Bath County, by 55 percent to 40 percent.

Incumbent Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, running for re-election, leads his Democrat opponent, former Finance Secretary Jody Wagner, 54 percent to 42 percent.

Attorney General candidate Ken Cuccinelli, a senator from Fairfax County, leads Democrat Steve Shannon, a delegate from Fairfax, 53 percent to 42 percent.

The poll asked 526 voters, “If the election for (office) were today, who would you vote for . . . ?” with the names rotated each question and with the candidates’ party identification preceding their names. There is a margin of error of 4.3 percent for the first two, and 4.4 percent for the AG race.

One thing comes quickly to mind: This early in a campaign, normally there are much more undecided voters, especially when choosing between two names with whom they may or may not be familiar. The fact that SurveyUSA used each candidate’s party label may be the reason for the high positive numbers for the GOP candidates given the consistent downward plunge in the favorable ratings of President Barack Obama, for his government takeover schemes in manufacturing and finance, and now in health care; as well as Governor Tim Kaine’s unpopularity for his job sharing as Democrat National Committee chairman, Virginia’s constant incorrect budget revenue forecasts, and the state’s IT contract controversy with Northrup Grumman.

Here’s more analysis from Eric Kleefeld at Talking Points Memo. According to the poll’s internals, 14 percent of those who voted for Mr. Obama last year now say they will vote for McDonnell, while 9 percent who voted for Republican Senator John McCain last November will vote for Deeds. SurveyUSA last polled the gubernatorial race after Deeds’ Democrat primary victory in early June. At that point, McDonnell led by 47 percent to 43 percent.

Leading the news today is a piece on NRO.com about Senator Ken Cuccinelli, the Republican nominee for attorney general. It gives a good look into his beliefs of limited constitutional government. Let’s say he doesn’t take lightly the intent of the Founders, many of whom he proudly cites as Virginians.

Elsewhere, the Post acknowledges that taxes are still a good issue for Republicans this fall at the same time Fairfax County may (surprise!) raise taxes — again! Meanwhile, Mark Warner’s baby, VITA, continues to be a headache for the commonwealth.

Nationally, President Obama continues his back and forth on the  homosexual agenda. Now, according to the AP, he wants all Americans to joyfully accept it. Also, yesterday’s Supreme Court decision on striking down a reverse discrimination policy in Connecticut, that had been upheld by Judge Sonia Sotomayor, the president’s Supreme Court nominee, may play a role in her confirmation. We have an AP article and a commentary by Bobby Eberle. Finally, Marcia Segelstein takes a look at whether school children are getting frightened by environmentalists.

News:

Virginia Gentleman (National Review Online)

Va. Republicans drop fight over access to Kaine’s DNC travel records (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

For GOP, Taxes Retain Potency (Washington Post)

Va. Lawmakers Question System Upgrade Contract (Washington Post)

Ailing Budget May Lead Fairfax Back to Car Tax (Washington Post) 

Virginia considering regulating car title loans (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Activist says it’s time that Christianity got a makeover (Roanoke Times)

National News:

Obama hopes to persuade all Americans to accept homosexuality (AP/OneNewsNow.com)

Discrimination ruling shapes Sotomayor debate (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Commentary:

Message to Obama Nominee: Discrimination is Wrong (Bobby Eberle/ GOPUSA.com)

Are Environmentalists Scaring Your Kids? (Marcia Segelstein video blog/American Family Association blog)