Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star Endorses Bolling For Lieutenant Governor

Paper cites Bolling's "sharp insight" and "experience" as cause for endorsement

RICHMOND - Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling was endorsed today by the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star.  The Free Lance-Star becomes the third paper covering Northern Virginia to endorse Bolling's re-election, joining the News and Messenger and the Arlington Sun Gazette.

In its endorsement, the paper salutes Bolling for being an active Lieutenant Governor who was able to work across party lines to promote his aggressive legislative agenda, particularly an expansion of the Governor's Economic Opportunity Fund and health initiatives. 

The endorsement also notes that Bolling's "experience during these economic down times is an asset Virginia should retain."

Reflecting on Democrat Jody Wagner's attack on Bolling's meeting attendance, the Free Lance-Star sums up the complaint as "a weak issue."

Bolling has also been endorsed by a long list of other organizations including National Federation of Independent Business/ Virginia, Virginia Association of Realtors PAC, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation's Virginia AgPAC, Virginia Credit Union League, Associated Builders and Contractors, Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, National Rifle Association - Political Victory Fund, Fraternal Order of Police and Police Benevolent Association.

The endorsement text can be read below:

Bolling for Lt. Gov.

WILL ROGERS once quipped: "The man with the best job in the country is the vice president. All he has to do is get up every morning and say, 'How is the president?'"

For the last four years, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling has done a lot more than inquire after the health of Gov. Kaine. Now he's asking for another term in office. We believe he deserves it.

A Virginia native, Mr. Bolling served on the Hanover County Board of Supervisors and spent a decade in the state Senate before being elected to his current position in 2005. This summer he was chosen chairman of the National Lieutenant Governors Association.

The constitutional role of the commonwealth's lieutenant governor is twofold: to assume the duties of governor in a crisis, and to preside over the Senate. Working with a state executive of the opposite party is a challenge most state seconds-in-command don't face. Still, Mr. Bolling has used his position to push for expansion of the Governor's Economic Opportunity Fund (which provides aid to businesses in depressed areas) as well as to promote health initiatives.

Mr. Bolling's history of elected service gives him sharp insight into what works in state government. He strongly opposed this summer's closure of state highway rest areas, and for the state's budget woes blames the Kaine administration's unrealistic revenue estimates and use of one-time revenue to pay for ongoing programs.

Mr. Bolling's opponent, lawyer Jody Wagner, has never held elected office. Appointed treasurer of the commonwealth by Gov. Warner, she served as secretary of finance under Mr. Kaine. She owns a kettle-corn business in Virginia Beach. Her main complaint about her opponent seems to be his lack of attendance at meetings, but that's a weak issue. Many boards and commissions include the lieutenant governor as a courtesy.

The affable Mr. Bolling knows his way around state government, particularly the General Assembly. His experience during these economic down times is an asset Virginia should retain.

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