Goode files papers for possible run in 2010
The Daily Progress
“It enables one to look at the situation and to raise money and spend money. But I haven’t decided whether I’ll run,” Goode said in a telephone interview Thursday.
A stunning upset loss in last year’s election ended Virgil H. Goode Jr.’s six-term grip on the 5th District U.S. House of Representatives seat.
Since being unseated by Tom Perriello, Goode apparently has participated quietly in political functions, but not much has been heard from him.
On Wednesday, however, Goode reappeared on the political radar as he filed a statement of candidacy form with the Federal Election Commission.
The move doesn’t mean that Goode will run in the 2010 election.
He said he’s keeping his options open.
“It enables one to look at the situation and to raise money and spend money. But I haven’t decided whether I’ll run,” Goode said in a telephone interview Thursday.
He said he has remained active in political circles, and plans to help Republican delegates in upcoming campaigns.
On Thursday, Jessica Barba, press secretary for Perriello, D-Ivy, said they’d heard of Goode’s filing.
She said they had no comment.
Gerry Scimeca, communications director for the Virginia Republican Party, was glad to hear of the filing.
“I think that’s great news,” he said. “I think a lot of people will be excited about that.”
Scimeca said Goode is still immensely popular in the 5th District and that he has seen the former representative at several events.
He took a shot at Perriello, President Barack Obama and other Democrats, saying that “with the profligate spending” by the federal government, Goode would be a welcome sight come the 2010 election.
Larry J. Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, said Goode’s move is not unexpected.
“That’s not a formal announcement,” he said. “It’s a placeholder, it keeps the door open.”
He added that Goode’s filing is “an important signal” that he is serious about a potential run in 2010.
“And it makes sense. It was the closest race in the country,” Sabato explained.
Perriello was helped by Obama and the surge in voter turnout, Sabato said.
“That may not happen again,” he noted.
Perriello’s upset victory didn’t become official until December, when a recount of more than 316,860 votes confirmed it.
The two-day recount covered votes cast in 22 localities, including Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene and Nelson.
The original results had Perriello winning by 745 votes. The recount lowered his margin of victory to 722.
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Reader Reactions
@Acoustic - when you say to Virgil “We need you,“ do you mean that we need the Virgil Goode who thinks that Muslims want to put “In Muhammad We Trust” on American currenty, the Virgil Goode who actually said that he was afraid the anti-tobacco forces would deprive his ailing mother the “one last pleasure” of smoking a cigarette on her hospital deathbed, or the Virgil Good who accomplished little, if anything, of note during his 12 years in office, never achieving anything other than “back bencher” status?
I’m just asking.
Great news Virgil. Unlike the one respondent who understandably hides the fact that he is s democrat and trys to tell us that he is an independent, I believe we need you. And of course there is the hopeless, “give me more” democrat respondent who is upset that Virgil didn’t give us more pork. Hey pal, we are tired of pork barrel legislators. Go Virgil!!
Virgil Goode endorsed torture. Way back in 2002 a constituent warned him in a letter about the (then newly revealed) executive orders and internal memoes intended to put the Bush administration beyond the law, remove prisoners of war from the protection of the Geneva Conventions, and to allow torturing them. Goode was asked to stand up and speak out for the rule of law, and for American decency. Instead Goode responded: he supported Bush. End of story as far as I am concerned. I am an independent, but to keep this amoral partisan from sleazing his way back into federal office, every spare dime I have is going to Perriello.
Virgil, what exactly is the point here? You had every chance in the world to work hard for us, to represent us and bring home the federal bacon. You didn’t do anything for us in your time up on Capital Hill. If anything, we should be filing to receive a refund on your salary because you sat on your behind and did nothing. Have the good sense to feel some sense of shame for the opportunities you so callously wasted.
The only thing more entertaining and fulfilling than beating Virgil Goode would be beating him again.
Has the Progress been taken over by The Onion? THIS is funny stuff!!!
And now the fund raising To Perriello must continue. Donate to the best candidate and send Virgil a message he is not welcome in the 5th as a Representative.
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