Move over Corey, there’s more company. There now 3 PWC gentlemen vying for the position of BOCS chairman. Corey Stewart, of course, has not said he isn’t running, so we assume he will run for re-election (if he isn’t running for the US Senate). Bob Weir of Haymarket announced his candidacy during a BOCS meeting during citizens’ time, much to everyone’s shock and awe. Now Tito ‘the Builder’ Munoz of Dale City has pitched his hard hat in the ring for chairman.
Each man brings his own style to the race and each style is quite different. It should be an exciting campaign for Republicans.
The Democrats have 2 candidates running. So far things have been quiet from John Gray and Gary Friedman. Perhaps they are sitting back and letting the Republicans have at it for a while. That could be a smart move. It saves time and energy. Regardless, they will need lots of time and lots and lots of money. Someone we know has been filling his war chest. My Republican buddies have been keeping a close eye on that one.
Should we start taking bets now? Good for all of them. At least they care enough to run.
Additional Information in News & Messenger
UPDATE: Apparently we have been given bad information. Tito Munoz says he is NOT running for the BOCS chair.
From Facebook: Tito Munoz The article is false. I will be running for office, but not for the Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors. The Vpap.org information was not entered by me or anyone authorized to make that statement and was unknown to me until I read this false article. Vpap has been informed that they need to make a correction and should not enter any more data until they speak with me directly. –Tito Munoz
UPDATE 2: When I grow up, maybe I will get this thread right. John Gray has not announced as a Democrat. He announced as an Independent.
UPDATE 3: Gary Friedman has issued the following communication:
The following statement was released by Gary C. Friedman, candidate for the Democratic nomination for Chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors:
“While I am not one to consider the strength of political campaigns to be determined by money, I do believe it is important for a candidate to demonstrate an ability to marshal the resources needed to effectively communicate his campaign’s message to the voters. In that regard, I am pleased to announce that the Friedman for Chairman campaign closed the filing period ending December 31, 2010 with over $100,000 cash in its account. I am looking forward to carrying the Democratic banner into the fall elections and championing the most pressing issues facing Prince William County citizens.”
This should be an interesting nomintations contest on both sides, and I am glad I’ll be watching from the sidelines, rather than have a horse in the race. I am offering this analysis purely as a student of the game. I am especially interested in how Mr. Gray will overcome the fact that he has run for office as a Republican, a Democrat, and and independent, and been unsuccessful too many times. Mr. Friedman’s credenrtials as a party stalwart should help him among those who value party loyalty. Not sure what methods of nomination the Democrats use or favor, so there may be some strategic dynamics that escape me right now.
On the GOP side. Mr. Stewart is in a tough spot. If he gets elected again, odds are he will stay at the county level for the remainder of his career. If he swings higher and loses, that may be the end of his political career as an elected. I know he has his detractors here, but he does have a loyal base on which to draw from, especially in the favored method of nomination in the county; the Convention. He’s won the office twice, and does have a record to run on. However, he also has a record he must defend.
I think Mr. Weir will have a tough time in a convention. He lacks name recognition county-wide, and has a very small base to draw from. iWhat little I do know about him comes from the Journal Messenger, and he has a reputation of being a bit implusive, and at times combative.
Mr. Munoz, I think, is the greater of the two challengers. He’s very well known within the conservative party base, a friend of Michelle Bachman’s and Sarah Palin’s. Imagine how a call or letter from one of them would motivate conservatives to get to the convention. He can also draw heavily from the latino base, and he has a spanish conservative talk radio show. This may not be common knowledge, but there exists a very conservative base of latinos who have been waiting for a candidate to support, to show the area that not every latino is “illegal” or a “gang member”.
Since conventions are won by getting your supporters to a) register as delegates, and b) actually showing up on the day of, I believe Tito Munoz to be the favorite in the GOP race. I’d also say Mr. Friedman wins the Democrat nomination contest in a walk.
Steve, you now have a job….moonhowlings political pundit. Good job! You shed a lot of light on things. You brought unknown info regarding Tito. And to think, everyone laughed at me on antibvbl because I kept doing threads on Tito the Builder. I feel vindicated now.
I can’t see why anyone would vote for Corey if they thought he was going to spend every moment post election running for an office at the state or national level. I think the people of PWC would want some assurance that they would at least get some bang for their buck. Not sure how he would handle a pledge to serve his full four years.
Steve, I agree that Munoz may be the greater challenger to Stewart for the reasons that you mention. Whether he could win county-wide in the general election is another story. Both men draw from the same conservative base so this should be a great time to grab some popcorn and sit back for the show.
Censored,
I think Tito’s success county-wide would depend on which opponent he draws, and whether the recent pro-GOP trend amongst independents continues. Also, don’t underestimate the growing latino vote. Tito has been very careful in his approach to the immigration issue, so as not to particularly alienate one side or the other. But, before we speculate on this, he still needs to win the nomination. If Sunday’s Pats vs Jets game taught me anything, it’s not to start speculating on who will win the superbowl, until we figure out if either team is even going to make it to the game.
It appears Tito is saying the paper’s article is a lie and the vpap info was not entered by him oor anyone authorzed to do so…
http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/jan/17/2/tito-builder-running-prince-william-chairman-ar-780522/
+1-0CLEARPosted by Tmunoz on Jan. 18, 2011 – 9:07 a.m.
The article is false. I will be running for office, but not for the Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors. The Vpap.org information was not entered by me or anyone authorized to make that statement and was unknown to me until I read this false article. Vpap has been informed that they need to make a correction and should not enter any more data until they speak with me directly. –Tito Munoz
Now, isn’t this a strange turn of events? Wonder how the erroneous info got entered at VPAP?
Yes is strange indeed, Steve. His name is no longer on vpap for Chairman. How does one prevent that sort of false information from being given to vpap? He’s posted this same comment on insidenova’s FB page.
What I find strange is that the News&Messenger didn’t contact Tito for comment, prior to running the story.
Let’s hear what the official has to say:
“False start by the reporting team. 10 yard penalty. Repeat 1st down.”
So, what’s he running for?
Why is he being so secretive? That isn’t how any candidate in this county wants to start off a political career.
He just might as well announce.
I agree, you would think N & M would have contacted Tito or gone on a press release.
My guess he’ll be running for the Neabsco seat, provided the districts don’t move him out.
A secrect squirrel doesn’t have much of a chance in this county. Especially if they want to take on the longest sitting supervisor. This is quite laughable.
Does anyone know what info was found on VPAP? Where does that site get its info? From the candidate? The donors? Suppose someone wanted to make a candidate look bad and made a big donation from a group the candidate didn’t support – is that possible?
Bob Weir or Gary Freidman would be vastly superior to Corey Stewart. Both are experienced in local government finance and economics. Both have always been on the citizens’ and taxpayers’ side on development issues. Both have served in leadership roles – Bob on the Haymarket City Council, where he has frequent interactions with the hacks in the PWC Planning Office and Office of Executive Management, and Gary as Chair of the Planning Commission also with experience dealing with the buffoons in the County Government. Also very important, neither has allowed themselves to be bought off and be subservient to development interests. Both see elected office in Prince William County as an opportunity to serve this community rather than as a stepping stone to higher office, as does Corey Stewart.
I don’t know much about Tito, but am leery of anyone associated with the development industry. I can’t take John Gray seriously given his vacillating on issues and frequent shifts of party affiliation.
Well, let’s toss some possibilities and see how they go….and always depending on where the 2011 lines are drawn, of course.
Tito’s business is in Dale City, and if he resides in Neabsco (I don’t know where he lives, but stick with me)…a possibility Big John may decide to retire and Tito becomes heir apparent??
What if he lands on the Woodbridge side of the new line for residence? A challenger for Principi??? I have heard from a reliable source on the eastern end Republican Party they are looking and maybe have a viable, yet unconfirmed, canditate. Tito??
Still, Tito’s comment posted on N&M sure does add to the fun of probability drills! 🙂
He should announce and stop with the games.