Hanger vs Sime vs Sayre?
Brent Finnegan -- January 22nd, 2007
In August, Libertarian Arin Sime announced his intention to challenge Sen. Emmett Hanger for the 24th district (which includes part of Rockingham County).
Now, the word is that Scott Sayre (of Waynesboro) may challenge Hanger for the Republican nomination. Sayre owns Sayre Enterprises in Buena Vista, which manufactures hunting and tactical gear, among other things. Last year Sayre Enterprises won a $2.7 million contract from the Defense Logistics Agency for high visibility belts for the US Military.
Lots of Valley Republicans (and Libertarians who vote Republican) are not impressed with Emmett Hanger’s so-called “liberal” voting record. Although “liberal” is a relative term here in one of the reddest regions of the state. Hanger is a part of Virginia’s moderate Republican Senate under fire in today’s Wall Street Journal for not being conservative enough. There is a movement within the VAGOP to flush out the more moderate Republican politicians in Virginia, and replace them with Gilmore-esque no-tax conservatives.
To my knowledge, there will be no Democrat or Independent challenger to whoever gets the Republican nomination, though Sime is planning to run against Hanger as a Libertarian.
-finnegan
I thought Sime was only running as a Libertarian, not for the Republican nomination – what changed? The last I heard his unwillingness to allow the government to run people’s private lives meant that Augusta County Republicans wouldn’t support him.
And no, there are no Democrats running – only an independently wealthy rock star could win as a Democrat in that district. Maybe we should get Grisham to move into the Albemarle part …
Oooh! John Grisham. I hadn’t thought of that.
You might be right. I’ll re-word that… I know that at some point Sime was talking about running as a Republican, but that may have just been wishful thinking on his part.
Arin’s told me repeatedly that he’s running as a Libertarian…if enough voters could be educated, he could give Hanger and decent run…a kool-aid drinking Republican, though, would likely kill Arin’s chance.
Damn.
Sime clarifies the confusion in today’s New Dominion.