Equality Fairfax State Senate Forum, Part 3 - 34th District

Linda you obviously worked very hard to produce something usable from the poor recording we had---you did a GREAT job and the whole forum is listenable up to the point where the CD ran out of space.

Thank you SO MUCH for your hard work producing this so our members and friends who couldn't make it have an opportunity to listen to the forum!

First, great job on hosting the forums and creating the pod casts! I get to a lot of these things and EF's was really well done. I missed the Senate one in person, but made it to the House one last night. And I have now finally been able to hear the Senate recording.

Although I am stirctly partisan this year, I do believe it is a big win to have a handful of Republican candidates come to the EF forum and actually fight for votes. That is a victory onto itself that I would not have imagined just 3-4 years ago!

I'm sure body language made a difference, but I have to say after hearing the tape, I don't understand the negative buzz I've heard from folks regarding Chap. Running late to an event is common on both sides of the political fence, especially for a challenger who is trying to cover as many bases as possible. I think Chap gave very honest answers to the questions and I especially was interested in his take on a legal strategy regarding domestic partner rights. His advice was realistic given the current environment.

I heard in his remarks what I've heard in personal talks with him, that he still has the same view of marriage, but now understands the need to provide  legal protection for same sex families. He is a work in progress and will only improve as he learns more about us. We may not like his views on some core issues, but at least he is genuine about them and willing to learn.

Frankly, I found some of JMDD's answers to be a bit over the top. Her making an issue of Chap's comments in the 2005 campaign was silly given he has not made a secret of those positions and in fact said the same things to EF and FCDC gatherings at the time.  The church issue is a lot to swallow, but Chap's defense as a lifetime member is more genuine than the fact that JMDD has been a supporter of the same church for many years..something she fogot to mention.

My observation is that JMDD talks the talk but then votes with her caucus when it gets important. Her excuse for not getting any patrons for her bill last session was a bit much. That was clearly a last minute "safe" attempt to make her look good to GLBT for this race..why else would she wait until the last minute and only want her name on the bill?? Certainly she has known about our desire for that bill for 4 years....and she knew this bill would not get out of committee.

The bottom line is that it has been the Republicans (JMDD's party that she plays a leadership role in Richmond for) that have brought all these anti-GLBT bills to a vote to try to harm us and hurt Dems statewide by association. It only makes sense that a change in power will stop that flow. Doesn't mean that we will suddenly get a lot of pro-gay measures passed , there are still a lot of anti-gay Dems downstate, but at least the attention will shift away from us. It also opens the way for a more organized and supported attempt at some of the fairness bills. And I bet we won't see our bills pushed into early morning subcommittees to be killed without a vote (something else the GOP began that JMDD didn't mention).

Anyway, great job overall. I just hope our folks will see through the smoke and think about the bigger picture that this race represents.