Connors: Let the Mudslinging Begin!

Here’s a gem of a letter, courtesy of the recently appointed Spotsylvania Supervisor Hap Connors. Let’s analyze this in pieces, shall we?

Claude Dunn’s candidacy for the Chancellor District seat on the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors gives voters a clear choice this fall. I look forward to an honest conversation with him about the issues that the voters of our district want us to address.

You’re darn straight this race does. Hap Connors is the kind of liberal that makes liberal cringe. Dunn is the kind of conservative that makes you proud to be a conservative. Lots of fireworks here, and it is generally expected to be the most watched of all the races in Spotsylvania. So I am sure that the “honest conversation” should be interesting, yes?

Let me first say that both Mr. Dunn and I have an abiding faith in God, so that is not an issue that divides us. One issue that does divide us, however, is growth. After talking with many voters in the district, it is evident that they are fed up with the haphazard growth that’s eating away at their quality of life. To get a better handle on growth policies in the county, the majority of those voters believed that a good start was to defeat the Town of Chancellorsville rezoning proposal.

God aside, growth does divide the two candidates. However, the difference between the two candidates is that Dunn stands squarely with responsible property ownership, while Hap stands with government intrusion and regulations. The God comment bothers me a bit. Why bring that up? I’m sure that will expose itself further down the campaign trail.

That project was symbolic in so many ways–it summed up the voters’ views on growth. The bottom line is that, by his own admission, Mr. Dunn supported it; however, I did not. I can’t say why Mr. Dunn supported the Town of Chancellorsville, but my opposition to it was based on the weak business case for it and the majority of Chancellor voters who opposed it.

Here we go. Nasty shot #1.

Town concepts are good, Mr. Connors. The only reason why Chancellorsville failed was that it was being planned on top of a battlefield. Without that standard to rally around, Chancellorsville was a reality. Other town concepts such as Chancellorsville (e.g. the new town near New Post) are the future of smart growth development.

The other difference between us is education. It has been reported that Mr. Dunn has stated in Republican party meetings that he believes it is “unconstitutional” to fund public education. I disagree, and voted this year to fully fund our public schools, in which I happen to have three children enrolled.

Nasty shot #2.

Public education is failing our children. If there is to be an honest conversation about the issues that face Spotsylvanians, vouchers and charter schools must be at the top of that list. Public school funding is strangling our budget, and Hap knows that. But rather than offer solutions, they would rather raise our taxes to subsidize a school system desperately in need of rejuvenation. Where are the calls for block scheduling? Where are the calls for charter schools, a proposal that even D.C. Democratic Mayor Anthony Williams supports?

But no. . . no solutions from Connors, nor is there even a faint concern for the students plodding along through a failing school system. Just another opportunity to stick it to Claude Dunn.

Although we differ on these important issues, I believe Mr. Dunn is a decent man, and I look forward to a good campaign.

Sure ya do.

However, I also know that some of the same folks who helped sling mud at Sen. John Chichester, R-Stafford, in the Republican primary will be helping Mr. Dunn.

Nasty shot #3! Way to extend that olive branch and then whack him with it!

Those sordid tactics were strongly rejected by voters, and I don’t believe they will serve any positive purpose in this race.

And yet Hap just employed them to validate his candidacy. Tsk, tsk, Mr. Connors. Virginia politics are made of sterner stuff.

And the gaff? After slamming Claude by attacking him as a pro-growth, anti-education, zealot? Brace yourself?

Therefore, I am asking Mr. Dunn to join me in committing to a clean-campaign pledge so that we can fully and honestly debate, at a higher level of discourse, the issues of most concern to Chancellor voters. They deserve no less from us.

*groan*Hap, how stupid do you think Spotsylvania voters are?

This is the same kind of misleading rhetoric that drives people away from politics, and the same kind of politicking that you criticized. Do you really believe that Chancellor voters aren’t going to pick up on the doublespeak?

This method of attacking your opponent while seeming positive – called a “positive/negative” among political consultants – is just one more form of negative campaigning. Apparently, Connors is pefectly willing to be Rothfeld’s counterwieght for Spotsylvania Democrats. Chancellor voters are smarter than you, Hap.

If you really want an honest conversation, start running an honest campaign.