Fight for GOP nomination in 5th District heating up

Albemarle County real estate investor Laurence Verga, a candidate seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Rep. Tom Perriello next fall, has been vocal in denouncing what he considers to be the GOP’s endorsement of “the most liberal candidate” — state Sen. Robert Hurt of Chatham. 

District leaders will vote Dec. 12 on a convention or a primary to select a nominee. Verga and Hurt are two of seven candidates — but Verga feels as though the National Republican Congressional Committee has already made Hurt its frontrunner despite a record that Verga said would “outrage conservatives.”

“The issue is that most people feel that the middle-of-the-road Republicans have put the country in the position that we’re in right now and they’re looking for principled conservatives,” Verga said. “…Republicans don’t raise taxes.”

His main criticism is Hurt’s 2004 vote in favor of then-Gov. Mark Warner’s tax increase — the largest in Virginia’s history. Verga criticized the NRCC for its endorsement of “the most liberal candidate in the primary” in an op-ed piece that ran online Wednesday on nonpartisan state political blog VirginiaTomorrow.com and national conservative blog RedState.com.

Although the NRCC has publicized Hurt’s campaign, regional spokesman Andy Sere clarified that the organization has not endorsed a candidate. Sere noted that he has also publicized some of Verga’s campaign efforts through e-mails.

Since announcing his candidacy, Hurt has responded to criticism of his tax vote. He has said “it was the hardest vote I’ve ever taken,” but he felt it was the right thing to do at the time to avoid a government shutdown. His campaign manager, Chris LaCivita, responded Friday to Verga’s blog posts, calling them “crazy attacks.”

“Mr. Verga is certainly entitled to his opinion,” LaCivita said. “After all he’s lived in the 5th District a whopping four years …

“Robert (Hurt) has an established conservative voting record that the people in the 5th District know. (Verga’s) out-of-the-box attacks so early in a campaign do not speak highly of how he views the seriousness of his campaign.”

Verga felt that the “establishment” was backing Hurt because of his tenure in the state legislature rather than what might be best for the district.

“The NRCC has endorsed the most liberal candidate in the primary in Sen. Hurt, whose establishment praise reflects his establishment record,” Verga wrote in his op-ed.

In an interview last month, Sere said the NRCC was looking for a candidate with a strong record who has the ability to run a well-funded campaign. LaCivita touted that Hurt, who is the only candidate with state-level experience, has won his elections “with no less than 62 percent of the vote.”

But whether past election successes for largely conservative Virginia House of Delegates and Senate districts can translate into a win against an incumbent congressmen is questionable, said Isaac Wood, director of communications for the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics.

“His old election results don’t count towards the congressional race in 2010,” Wood said. “This is gonna be a different race against a different caliber of opponent …

“Still, there’s something to be said for knowing how to run a campaign … If all you have to judge on is past experience, I think that gives Hurt a leg up.”

Wood said he found it interesting that Verga was attacking Hurt as being too moderate — a trait that is typically beneficial in general elections.

“I think to some degree,” Wood said, “having these attacks from the right wing can actually help Hurt going into the general election.”

Both Nick Fowler, Danville GOP chairman, and Ronnie Mayhew, Pittsylvania County GOP chairmen, back Hurt. Tucker Watkins, chairman of the 5th District GOP, has said he would not publicly endorse a candidate.

“I don’t think there’s anything in his record to show that he’s not conservative,” Fowler said. “…I didn’t agree with that tax increase, but you kind of hold your nose and vote for what’s best for the state and your constituents.”

Verga, who has signed a 10-point pledge that includes a vow to never raise taxes, openly challenged Hurt and the five candidates Friday to sign a similar pledge.

“I think this is a very attractive seat to a lot of Republicans,” Sere said last month. “You’re going to see all of these candidates run campaigns and play politics. This is politics and people are going to have differences of opinion.”