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As we speculated previously (here and here), Jamie Radtke, the organizer of the successful Virginia Tea Party convention in October, will run for office. Specifically, for the U.S. Senate in the 2012 Republican primary, eschewing a 2011 primary opportunity in the 10th Virginia Senate district against GOP incumbent John Watkins. At least, today, she filed the official paperwork to declare her candidacy for that office (see Anita Kumar at Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog).

In a statement, she said:

I am the mother of three young children, and my first priority is both to protect them today and protect their future. I truly worry about what the next five years holds for our children and the nation, given this climate of reckless and immoral spending. Someone must step into the gap so that our children and America are not crushed in the coming years under the weight of insurmountable debt and debilitating taxes. 

The front runner is former governor and senator George Allen, who lost the seat in 2006 to the incumbent, Democrat Jim Webb. Delegate Bob Marshall and Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart also are considering a run. Hampton Roads businessman Bert Mizusawa, who lost the GOP second district House nomination to now Representative-Elect Scott Rigell, also may throw his hat in the ring. However, former 11th district Representative Tom Davis seems to have taken himself out of consideration, preferring instead, “to have left Congress undefeated and unindicted. You like to keep it that way.”

Annotations & Elucidations

Suits And Budgets

The news is all about Virginia, as it always seems to be, as it has been for some years now. Must mean we’re an important state. But Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s law suit against the federal government for its forced mandates on individuals is making headlines and he’s making the rounds — on cable news — frequently: Fox News Channel multiple times, a viewer call-in on C-SPAN and even an appearance on DNC-TV, er, MSNBC.

The Wall Street Journal even says great things about Virginia, although the focus of the piece below is on our budget. By comparison the article notes, if Congress had just kept to its 2006 levels of spending, as the General Assembly did recently, the budget would be nearly in balance. Hmmm. 2006? Who’s been running the show since then?

In Commentary, it’s all about health care, with one of our generation’s giants, Thomas Sowell, asking if we’ve reached a point of no return. We pray not. Michael Barrone, David Limbaugh and Debra Saunders also look at the dark side of the legislation. But it’s not just “right wingers.” The AP reports the the government is going to count our calories. Oh, how grand! Meanwhile, the Cornhusker Kid, Senator Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) now says he’ll vote against the “reconciliation” bill. Also from the AP: The Supreme Court says it’s fine for schools to ban music and that the Tea Party is just getting going. Watch out, liberals.

News

McDonnell backs Cuccinelli on challenge to health-care bill (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Virginia attorney general ready to challenge health-care law (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

South Carolina, Florida AGs say they’ll join Cuccinelli in challenging health-care bill (The Daily Press)

Attorneys general in 14 states sue to block healthcare reform law (Christian Science Monitor)

Liberty Counsel, attorney general challenge health care bill (Lynchburg News & Advance)

Virginia Democrats say Cuccinelli suit wastes taxpayer money (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

Will lower taxes create school crisis? (Charlottesville Daily Progress)

Analysis

States of Progress: Two new Governors tackle deficits without tax increases (Wall Street Journal)

National News

It’s not over for Tea Party activists (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Health overhaul: Immediate change, long term steps (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Your government will count your calories (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Axelrod, Steele tangle on health care overhaul (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Court: Student can’t sue over ‘Ave Marie’ ban (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Ben Nelson plans to vote against health care bill (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Commentary

A Point of No Return? (Thomas Sowell/GOPUSA.com)

The Beginning of the End or a Rebirth of Freedom? (David Limbaugh/GOPUSA.com)

Leadership for a New Generation (Doug Patton/GOPUSA.com)

The New Electorate (Jon N. Hall/GOPUSA.com)

ObamaCare Means: Don’t Look Behind the Curtain (Debra Saunders/GOPUSA.com)

Stupak’s ‘Hans Brinker — Unmasked (Richard Olivastro/GOPUSA.com)

Health Plan Means Bigger Deficits and Higher Taxes (Michael Barrone/GOPUSA.com)

This isn’t so much a slam against Creigh Deeds for his vague, indecisive, obfuscating way of saying he’ll raise our taxes in a recession, as it is the grammarian and rhetorician in me: Can we please cut out the cliches, people!

However, since it is election season, when you combine this with his infamous tax and other dodges, and his braggadocio on submitting the most budget amendments in the General Assembly — a billion dollars worth — it all kind of comes together nicely. Oh, one other thing thing not purposely vague about the Deeds campaign was the news of a late $25,000 donation from the United Association, a Big Labor group that works to dismantle Right-To-Work laws.

Disparate questions about his plans, but the same answer from Senator Deeds:

If it’s pro-Big Labor and means more taxes, spending and regulation, and less freedom, “it’s on the table” for Creigh Deeds. 

The time is here. Our moment has arrived. It’s the morning of what historians and political scientists may look back on years hence as the beginning of a new grassroots political movement that created real change. Better stated, the beginning of the restoration of the Founders’ vision, of the Constitution’s real meaning and purpose.

Are you ready to rally? Baseball season has started and the analogy is appropriate. This nation needs to make a comeback. There are 19 Tax Day Tea Parties today (click here for a Virginia list) and certainly there is one within an hour’s drive from where you live, and there are a variety of start times. Will the weather deter you? Will you stay home? Do you want to network with likeminded citizens to start a new movement?

The country and the politicians need to hear your voice and see you in action. Don’t think they will not take notice of turnout. They need to get the message that enough is enough — enough taxing, enough spending, enough borrowing and enough printing of money.

Will you send that message? Are you ready to rally?