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U.S. Representative Fortney “Pete” Stark (D-Calif.) has been in Congress close to 40 years and is one of the most hardcore leftists in the House (see Michael Tennant at The New American). He also is known for outrageous and derogatory comments that, were he a conservative, rightly would hound him out of office (see Elisabeth Meinecke at Human Events).

Last year, at a town hall meeting, he told a constituent that, “I wouldn’t dignify you by peeing on your leg.” (See YouTube.) In June, he mocked those who want the federal government to do something it is supposed to do — secure the border — by asking, “Who are you going to kill today?” (See YouTube.) Those examples only scratch the surface. He’s been known to yell at and threaten colleagues, as well. Suffice it to say, he’s an arrogant bully, who does not care about anyone but himself, his radical left-wing idealogue colleagues and far left special interest power brokers.

Then, occasionally, he speaks the truth. At least the truth as he wants it. Which is instructive in that it reveals what the Leftist Ruling Class in Washington has in store, should they continue to go unchecked. You can hear for yourself what this senior member of the House thinks about unlimited federal power, an attitude likely to mean the far-left leadership of the House is likely to continue overreaching. It also demonstrates that there’s only one way to curb this power — November is coming — as a new Rasmussen poll showed only 9 percent of Americans share Mr. Stark’s view of American governance (see Ed Morrissey at HotAir.com). 

In the video below, from a town hall meeting two weeks ago, Congressman Stark dismissed a constituent’s concern over the health care law’s expansive reach into personal lives by telling her Congress is not limited by the U.S Constitution:

Congressman Stark: We have unlimited power to do whatever we want, except that which we are supposed to do.

But Mr. Stark isn’t alone. According to the poll (see Rasmussen Reports), 54 percent of the political class align themselves with him (see Mark Tapscott of the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog, here). Steve Watson of PrisonPlanet.com adds that the disconnect extends to the Health Care law, too, with 83 percent of the political class supporting it and 72 percent of voters opposing it.

Republicans need to gain 40 seats in November’s midterm elections to win control of the House of Representatives. Ten percent of that goal is in Virginia, where targeted incumbent Democrats Rick Boucher (VA-9), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Glenn Nye (VA-2) and Tom Perriello (VA-5) are being challenged by House of Delegates Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, Keith Fimian, Scott Rigell and Virginia Senator Robert Hurt, respectively. Connolly, Nye and Perriello all are freshmen and Perriello may be the number one GOP target in the entire country given his razor thin victory in 2008 and the 5th’s generally conservative leanings (Charlottesville Daily Progress). Perhaps no House win pleased liberals more.

Now, according to a poll released yesterday by SurveyUSA for Roanoke television station WDBJ, Representative Perriello may be toast (see American Prospect’s Tapped Blog and the Washington Post’s Virginia Politics Blog). It shows the 5th to be a blowout already: Hurt up by a 58-35 margin (see National Review Online’s Campaign Spot Blog).

While many GOP House candidates are polling well, few have the numbers that elicited a “WOW” from NRO’s Jim Geraghty. Of course, polls this early can mean anything and the pros will say SurveyUSA is not a top tier pollster on the lines of Mason-Dixon or Rasmussen Reports. But, SurveyUSA was the first to poll Virginia last summer (51 weeks ago, to be exact) and it had all three statewide races right from the beginning to the very end, including double digit leads when all the more “reputable” polls showed it closer. In fact, one political pro told me the SurveyUSA results were “embarrassing,” but the only people embarrassed last November were the doubters and the Democrats.

The numbers are even more astounding considering a hard fought Republican primary, a Libertarian candidate and some TEA Party dissatisfaction with Senator Hurt. (SurveyUSA breaks down its research here.) It admits it has factored Republican turnout to be much greater than Democrat turnout (not surprising since when comparing the U.Va. student drop-of from 2008, where Perriello benefited from a large Barack Obama student turnout, to 2009). However, SurveyUSA says even if it factors in a 50-50 Republican-Democrat turnout, Hurt still wins by 11 points. At this point. (Which would allow the GOP to focus on the other three seats.) But, if the trend holds, it’s a remarkable sign for House Republicans — and one down and 39 to go.

Annotations & Elucidations

Calling Mr. Ripley 

It’s more Tea Party mania as Tax Day fast approaches. Groups are seeking Tea Party support in potential opposition to President Obama’s next choice to the U.S. Supreme Court; liberal activists are trying to infiltrate Tea Parties with the purpose of embarrassing them (as we’ve known all along, and which the mainstream media finally has picked up on, see Aleksandra Kulczuga at The Daily Caller as well as the AP); and in Virginia, Tea Party activists have won two western GOP unit chair elections in recent days.

Meanwhile, nationally, and speaking of Tea Parties, support for the health care law is plummeting faster than a Soprano victim in the Elizabeth River, and more Americans than pay income tax think we’re over taxed! That should tell you something, and Scott Rasmussen and Richard Olivastro do in Analysis and Commentary, respectively.

Think the Virginia Health Care Freedom Act is nervy, standing up to the big, bad federales? William Green of the Tenth Amendment Center has an idea that will knock your boots off. Also in that vein, and speaking of New Jersey (The Soprano’s), many here patted themselves on the back after Governor McDonnell and the General Assembly balanced our budget without a general tax increase and reduced spending to $70 billion (over two years), a figure last seen in 2006. Very nice. But, as Norman Leahy notes at Tertium Quids, the other new governor, Chris Christie of New Jersey, is fighting for, and winning, real reforms, not to mention that even though it is larger than Virginia, it’s annual budget is $29.3 billion. Even more impressive: The N.J. deficit is $10 billion; our two-year deficit was $4 billion. New Jersey more frugal than Virginia? Call Mr. Ripley.

News

Morrissey, Style Weekly settle $10 million libel lawsuit (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Griffith reaping GOP support (Roanoke Times)

Boyer elected head of Bedford GOP unit (Lynchburg News & Advance)

National News

Groups look for Tea Party support on nomination (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Foes of Tea Party movement to infiltrate rallies (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Census: No evidence of a conservative boycott (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee on gay adoption: Kids ‘aren’t puppies’ (New York Daily News)

Analysis

Support for Repeal of Health Care Plan Up To 58% (Scott Rasmussen/Rasmussen Reports)

66% Say America Is Overtaxed (Scott Rasmussen/Rasmussen Reports)

Florida Senate GOP Primary: Rubio 57%, Crist 28% (Scott Rasmussen/Rasmussen Reports)

Christie may be the real GOP model (Norman Leahy/Tertium Quids Blog)

Media Research Center: Coverage of Tea Parties is disparaging and biased (Aleksandra Kulczuga/The Daily Caller Blog)

Commentary

Next it will be government crashing the Tea Party (Richard Viguerie & Mark Fitzgibbons/Washington Examiner)

Ending the Fed From the Bottom Up (William Green/Tenth Amendment Center)

Stupak’s Final Retreat (Editorial/Washington Times)

Good Riddance (Thomas Sowell/GOPUSA.com)

Democrats Manipulate CBO (David Limbaugh/GOPUSA.com)

Can You Afford More Taxes? (Richard Olivastro/GOPUSA.com)

A V-Shaped Boom Is Coming (Larry Kudlow/GOPUSA.com)

Is Romney Grasping at Straws? (Aaron Goldstein/The American Spectator)

We’re awash in polls right now and the attending controversy they inevitably entail. But a new poll released a few hours ago may shed light on which polls are more accurate — or not (see Politico.com).

Rasmussen Reports today released a poll that shows Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell leading his Democrat opponent, Senator Creigh Deeds, 51-42 (see RasmussenReports.com). Rasmussen’s previous poll had the difference at only two percentage points, contributing to the perception of a tightening race. Subsequent polls from the liberal Washington Post (a four-point difference), which has endorsed Deeds, and Public Policy Polling, a Democrat leaning firm, (a five-point difference) confirmed that perception.

Yesterday, however, a SurveyUSA/WDBJ poll had the GOP ticket up by double digits. But it was largely ignored by the Mainstream Media because its results are out of line with the others. Now, the very reputable Rasmussen poll seems as close to the SurveyUSA/WDBJ poll as it does the PPP poll (which one Richmond radio station reported on for a full 24 hours). Furthermore, even the PPP poll has Republican Lt. Governor Bill Bolling and attorney general candidate Senator Ken Cuccinelli up by eight and nine points, respectively, further validating the point of view that the GOP ticket has a significant lead.

Who’s right — those who say it’s close or those who think the GOP is on its way? We won’t know until election day. But Rasmussen does have a track record. According to a testimonial on its Web site, it ”produces some of the most accurate and reliable polls in the country today.” None other than Virginia politico guru Dr. Larry Sabato said it.

Welcome to the end of the week. But the news is only beginning. Leading off, we have a Virginia-based pro-life organization, Life & Liberty Ministries, which says it’s been put on a domestic terrorist watch list by the Virginia State Police. Very curious, to say the least.

Also of note, Americans For Tax Reform took notice of the work we did on spending transparency and this blog’s comment on how it all played out, especially with Governor Tim Kaine’s nice veto session surprise (making the bill better). We’re honored such a prestigious national organization took notice and we thank them for the help it provided in the long road it took to get transparency passed and signed into law. When you read in the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star how the state paid a company $40,000 just to sit by and wait, you understand why spending transparency is important.

It’s not yet time for the Colonial Downs season, but the horse race known as the gubernatorial campaign is well underway and Republican Bob McDonnell is ahead by a couple of lengths and pulling further ahead — as of now. We have the poll info directly from the pollster, Rasmussen. Enjoy your reading.

News:

Virginia pro-lifers labeled ‘potential terrorists’ (OneNewsNow.com)

Election 2009: Virginia Governor Election — GOP’s McDonnell Pulls Further Ahead in Virginia Governor’s Race (RasmussenReports.com)

Poll gives McDonnell lead in hypothetical governor matchups (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Bill Clinton, Trump among McAuliffe’s donors (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

McAuliffe won’t take Dominion cash, but donations from executives OK(Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Candidates in governor’s race casting wide nets (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Moran Campaign Contributors Have Business Before Brother (Washington Post)

State paid $40,000 in fees for towing firms to stand by (Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star)

VA Transparency Gets Unexpected Veto Session Boost(FiscalAccountability.org Blog)

Del. Shannon Valentine tops in campaign funds (Lynchburg News & Advance)

Concert to benefit Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center in Lynchburg (Lynchburg News & Advance)

Delegates Defend Internet Use on the Floor (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

National News:

Senate Republicans Reply to DHS ‘Rightwing Extremists’ Scaremongering(RedState.com)

ACLU demands schools allow access to gay Websites (Nashville Tennessean)

The Communications Department says he’s ill today, so I’ve cobbled together a couple of interesting articles — or at least an interesting topic: internal strife within the Virginia GOP. Didn’t say it was news, because RPV fratricide certainly is nothing new. Still, interesting, as always. Also, there’s a link to an interview with Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell via podcast at Bearing Drift. Worth the listen (at least read the summary).

Something else of interest that is news concerning the gubernatorial campaign: For as much as liberal groups and Democrat candidates have been, and are, ahead of conservatives and Republicans in the adaptation of new media and technology to campaign effect, Bob McDonnell, according to the March issue of Richmond Magazine, is leading all three Dems in a Facebook supporters landslide with nearly 2,100 as of a few minutes ago (at RM’s publication it was 1,700). Sorry, no Web links provided by RM, but we hope to have a scan next week.

News:

Va. GOP chief asked to leave (Washington Times)

Major Va. donor named new state GOP finance chief (Daily Press)

Podcast:

VPOD #52: Bob McDonnell, GOP gubernatorial candidate (Bearingdrift.com)

Polls:

For more substantive polling information than Facebook, there’s a recent Rasmussen poll that shows McDonnell leading all three Democrats by significant margins, increasing his December lead over his nearest rival, Terry McAuliffe, who, apparently, has not recovered from liberal blog attacks prompted by not knowing who we are!

Election 2009: Virginia Governor Election — GOP’s McDonnell Has Edge Over All Democrats In Virginia Governor’s Race (Rasmussen Reports)

McDonnell takes early lead in poll (Pilot On Politics blog) 

Coincidentally, in New Jersey, the Republican gubernatorial candidate leads the incumbent, Democrat Machine Boss Governor Jon Corzine, by nine points, with Corzine’s approval rating less than 40 percent.

Fairleigh Dickinson poll finds Corzine trailing Christie by 9 points (Newark Star-Ledger)

The communications department had a “business trip” today in the northern reaches of the commonwealth — there are conservatives up there? — so we don’t have much of a News Stand today. However, what I have found is good. So, herewith, with some comments by me, is today’s News Stand:

News:

Group seeks more recorded votes (This is very interesting to note. Conservatives are split on the issue of recorded House of Delegates sub-committee votes. Some like the idea of killing of bills quickly and quietly, while others preach the good government/open, transparent government reform mantra. It cuts both ways: Neither side likes to go on the record when they can help it.) (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Election 2009: Governor’s Race Is Wide Open In Virginia (Polling from Rasmussen shows it tight from the get-go. Also, interesting numbers on various issues, including that Virginians are not dying for a tax increase for transportation.) (Rasmussenreports.com)

Opinion:

The Democratic Culture Of Corruption (From Michelle Malkin. I’ve been waiting for someone to write about this, and I still may. By the way, she left off her list Eliot Spitzer — prostitution; Senators Chris Dodd and Kent Conrad — Countrywide loan scandal; Representative Robert Wexler, who had no home in the Florida district he represents until recently; and Representative Tim Mahoney — who tried to use government money to keep his mistress quiet; among others.) (GOPUSA.com)

The Friday Line: Ten Republicans To Watch (From Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post blog The Fix. He notes 10 Republican rising stars who may make it big nationally. Two are Virginians, House Republican Whip-Elect Eric Cantor, from the 7th Congressional District, and Attorney General Bob McDonnell, seeking the governor’s mansion. Additional interesting picks are two governors Virginia conservatives like very much: South Carolina’s Mark Sanford and Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal. Those not on the list include Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.) (The Fix/WashingtonPost.com)

Editorial Comics:

“Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s Bar Codes” (Steve Breen, Townhall.com)  

“Obama Prepares To Part The Red Sea” (Chuck Asay, Townhall.com)  

“Having Solved The Affordable Housing Problem Congress . . . “ (Chuck Asay, Townhall.com)