Former Senator Brandon Bell says: Offer Democratic Senators Reynolds and Puckett chairmanships…
Reynolds and Puckett could also be key to a new Republican majority. Both represent Republican districts. Both will inevitable come into frequent conflict with their more urban counterparts in Northern Virginia and Tidewater… Reynolds and Puckett could declare themselves as Independents and agree to caucus with Republicans. In exchange, they would be given Chairmanships.
Puckett would be an ideal choice to Chair Transportation, and more of an asset to our region than soon to be Chair Yvonne Miller of Norfolk. Reynolds may be interested in Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources. Ag would be a good fit for his rural district and would make a whole lot more sense than Senator Ticer who is from the City of Alexandria.
Some may have heartburn about “making a deal with the devil”. But, there is certainly historical precedent for this type of action. Does anyone remember that Virgil Goode was once a Democrat?
Given the heartburn within the Senate Democratic Caucus right now between the Northern Virginia Democrats and the old Byrd Machine Democrats further south, this makes more sense than it looks.
It all really depends on what is more important to Reynolds and Puckett at the end of the day: partisanship, or the concerns and needs of the voters in their district?