Not much local and public attention has been focused on the Senate election or the Senate candidates. However, who goes to Washington, Tim Kaine or one of ours, is a more than serious matter. As anyone who pays any attention knows, the Senate has been able to block any number of important actions that would restore some measure of sanity to Washington and – as a result – to our lives.
One of the more interesting recent activities was a Jamboree held in Loudoun County for Republican Senate candidates. At the gathering, a straw poll was conducted. The political dictionary defines a straw poll as "an informal or unofficial vote conducted to gauge the popularity of candidates running for office or to measure the opinion of a certain population on various issues."
Straw polls are not necessarily accurate – if, for instance, one candidate stacked the event with his or her supporters. They do, however, often result in medial attention, increases (or not) in donations, and publicity that is valuable for name recognition.
What makes the Loudoun poll so interesting is that there was a similar poll in 2023 – with some of the same candidates. And the real question is whether the results from 2023 – and now 2024 – will be borne out when the primary vote this year is tallied and certified.
Omitting the candidates who were running for the Senate in 2023 but not running in 2024, the results were as follows:
Jonathan Emord 144
Eddie Garcia 41
Chuck Smith 29
Scott Parkinson 3
Others aren't running in 2024 or received no votes.
Now to 2024. The candidates, all of whom were present, again in order of vote count, are:
Jonathan Emord 64
Hung Cao 30
Eddie Garcia 25
Chuck Smith 16
Scott Parkinson 5
Some of these candidates attended Madison County Republican Women dinner meetings. Literature should have been available, but each of these individuals have web sites with their issues and positions. It would be interesting to have a straw poll in Madison. Would we vote similarly to Loudoun? Would our top choice be the victor in the primary?
Please plan to vote. A primary is to select the person we believe to be the strongest. And all should want to help select that person unless we want more of the same.
Voting early has several major advantages – first, it's done. No one can represent themselves as you during the primary, stealing your vote; if a conflict arises in your life, you have the flexibility to meet that conflict without worry. For the candidate, he's (no women this time) informed of WHO voted – not HOW the vote was cast, which means literature and other expensive aspects of the campaign (including phone calls) do not need to overwhelm you.
Please take the obligation to vote seriously. In Australia, there are stiff fines, and possible jail time, if you don't vote! Let's keep freedom as free as possible in America!
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