Claude Dunn for Supervisor!
In Spotsylvania this year, all of the consitutional offices and supervisor seats are up for re-election, as well as the state legislature offices (most importantly the 17th Senate). Out of these local races, the Dunn-Connors race is the race to keep your eye on for its potential to get contentuous quick.
“I got tired of supporting people I couldn’t support 100 percent,” said Dunn, 62, who is challenging incumbent Hap Connors for the Chancellor District seat on the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors.
Hap Connors is the type of liberal that makes liberals cringe, and he is no push-over. He was the Executive Director of the South Carolina Democratic Party in the early 90’s (until he was removed for calling the sitting Republican governor a ‘fascist’), and he was the Maryland campaign co-ordinator for the Clinton-Gore campaign in ’96. In short, while this guy is well trained, well spoken, absolutely out of step with Spotsylvania values.
The problem for Hap is that he lives in a district that is overwhelmingly Republican. Claude Dunn has lived here for years, is well known, well liked, respected, and above all else in this district a Republican. Claude is a guy that is very vocal about the effect his faith has on his judgement, and he isn’t going to hide it just because he is in the public square – an admirable thing.
Hap is going to have to do more than just rest on the laurels of Chancellorsville, because while the project went down thanks to the anti-sprawl groups he has hitched his wagon to, towns are basically good in nature in terms of anti-sprawl initiatives.
What do I expect out of this race? Given Hap’s background and the 3:1 odds in the Chancellor district in favor of the GOP, it could get nasty and negative very quickly. Hap’s a smart guy though, so it won’t be your old style, stick-it-to-em type of negative campaigning, it’ll be that sugary positive/negative crap. Jokes, innuendo, all based on facts, and in short just trying to get Claude to say something overtly faith-oriented in order to hang him with it for the rest of the campaign.
Unfortunately for Hap, Claude is a smart guy too. While other candidates may shy away, Claude is the type of guy who looks forward to someone challenging him on the issues. Christians in public office? Why would Hap be against that! Vouchers? Show us a cheaper alternative! Privitization? Why not privatize the dog catcher and see how it works!
If Hap is serious about combating sprawl, Claude has all of the untried answers. And that is why this race is going to be the focal point for the Spotsylvania races. If it gets real nasty (as it has every potential to be), it could effect the 17th District race, and that could spell disaster if it gets bad. Watch this race!