By NEIL H. SIMON, Media General News Service
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Democrat Glenn Nye picked up a key endorsement today in his bid to unseat Republican Rep. Thelma Drake – a race still considered to be Virginia’s closest U.S. House race.
The Hampton Roads area newspaper, The Virginian-Pilot, which endorsed Drake two years ago, backed Nye this time, questioning Drake’s effectiveness as a lawmaker and bipartisan credentials.
“Nye's potential is a better bet than Drake's performance,” the editorial said. “Any hopes that the congresswoman might shift toward the moderate middle have been dashed by a continued adherence to the notion that party loyalty is more important than solving problems.”
Nye, a former Foreign Service officer with extensive global experience, and Drake, a two-term congresswoman who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, are fighting for votes in Virginia’s military-rich 2nd congressional district.
Drake voted with the Republican Party 96 percent of the time, according to an analysis of House votes by The Washington Post.
“I guess those numbers are high when you are (counting) things like naming post offices,” Drake said in an interview.
She released her own vote analysis showing nine votes she considered controversial from last July. On five of them she voted against President Bush’s position – opposing his push for global HIV/AIDS funding (HR 5501) and supporting a bill to increase spending on highway and bridge reconstruction, which he opposed (HR 3999).
Polls have given Drake an edge in the race, but her lead has fluctuated between 18 points and 5 points.
One House race analyst says the Pilot’s endorsement of Nye could change the race in the final week.
“I think this does make a difference,” said David Wasserman, a political analyst at the Washington-based Cook Political Report.
The political report lists the race as leaning Republican. But Wasserman said Virginia Beach, where the population is 20 percent African-American, has continually posed a thorn in Drake’s side.
“It’s not her base,” Wasserman said. “Given the push behind Obama that African-Americans in the district will give, I think that helps Nye a great deal. It’s the only reason he can be competitive.”
Drake won in 2006 by less than two percentage points against Democrat Phil Kellam.
“People are just tired of a congressperson who votes 96 percent of the time party line,” said Nye in an interview. “The Obama turnout is going to give us a lot of Democrats.”
Drake, who is relying on endorsements from military groups to win a third term, turns 59 at the end of the month. She has tried to use Nye’s age – 34 -- against him.
At one event Drake reportedly wondered aloud how "a very junior member of the State Department" could be instrumental in rescuing 26 U.S. hostages in Macedonia as Nye was honored for doing while stationed in that country in 2001.
Drake’s “personal attacks” were part of “an orchestrated effort to distract voters from her record,” Nye said in an interview.
(Contact Neil H. Simon at nsimon@mediageneral.com or (202) 662-7669.)
The Hampton Roads area newspaper, The Virginian-Pilot, which endorsed Drake two years ago, backed Nye this time, questioning Drake’s effectiveness as a lawmaker and bipartisan credentials.
“Nye's potential is a better bet than Drake's performance,” the editorial said. “Any hopes that the congresswoman might shift toward the moderate middle have been dashed by a continued adherence to the notion that party loyalty is more important than solving problems.”
Nye, a former Foreign Service officer with extensive global experience, and Drake, a two-term congresswoman who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, are fighting for votes in Virginia’s military-rich 2nd congressional district.
Drake voted with the Republican Party 96 percent of the time, according to an analysis of House votes by The Washington Post.
“I guess those numbers are high when you are (counting) things like naming post offices,” Drake said in an interview.
She released her own vote analysis showing nine votes she considered controversial from last July. On five of them she voted against President Bush’s position – opposing his push for global HIV/AIDS funding (HR 5501) and supporting a bill to increase spending on highway and bridge reconstruction, which he opposed (HR 3999).
Polls have given Drake an edge in the race, but her lead has fluctuated between 18 points and 5 points.
One House race analyst says the Pilot’s endorsement of Nye could change the race in the final week.
“I think this does make a difference,” said David Wasserman, a political analyst at the Washington-based Cook Political Report.
The political report lists the race as leaning Republican. But Wasserman said Virginia Beach, where the population is 20 percent African-American, has continually posed a thorn in Drake’s side.
“It’s not her base,” Wasserman said. “Given the push behind Obama that African-Americans in the district will give, I think that helps Nye a great deal. It’s the only reason he can be competitive.”
Drake won in 2006 by less than two percentage points against Democrat Phil Kellam.
“People are just tired of a congressperson who votes 96 percent of the time party line,” said Nye in an interview. “The Obama turnout is going to give us a lot of Democrats.”
Drake, who is relying on endorsements from military groups to win a third term, turns 59 at the end of the month. She has tried to use Nye’s age – 34 -- against him.
At one event Drake reportedly wondered aloud how "a very junior member of the State Department" could be instrumental in rescuing 26 U.S. hostages in Macedonia as Nye was honored for doing while stationed in that country in 2001.
Drake’s “personal attacks” were part of “an orchestrated effort to distract voters from her record,” Nye said in an interview.
(Contact Neil H. Simon at nsimon@mediageneral.com or (202) 662-7669.)