Thomas Michie

Thomas Michie

For a few hundred voters in the StonewallHawthom precinct, there’s an opportunity to contribute to the reelection of state senator Thomas Michie, D-25th. Sen. Michie is a thoughtful, respected legislator whose help in the General Assembly will undoubtedly benefit Rappahannock. His opponent, retired FBI agent Ed Robb, a Republican, has portrayed Sen. Michie as soft on crime and out of touch with the opinions of his constituents.

However, the senator’s fact-based opinion, that higher jail sentences and stiffer penalties don’t actually slow the crime rate, and that they cost more than Virginia taxpayers are inclined to spend, show the value of a rational, mature perspective in the General Assembly. Sen. Michie will be a tremendous resource to the county, and as he himself has observed, rural counties are going to need all the experienced leadership they can get in the coming years, as Northern Virginia and Tidewater begin to take control.

Margaret Haynes

Experienced leadership does not always mean effective leadership, as in the case of incumbent state senator Kevin Miller, R-26th, who is opposed by Democrat Margaret Haynes, a veteran of Harrisonburg politics and the constituent representative for U.S. Rep. Jim Olin, D-5th.

Although a very likable person, Sen. Miller cannot name one single issue of substance relevant to Rappahannock upon which he has worked. To spend eight years in the Virginia Senate and not have accomplished anything for Rappahannock (or Fauquier) is, in our view, hardly an adequate record. His opponent is right to fault him for it.

Ms. Haynes is an unknown quantity, and would appear to be fighting an uphill battle. Nevertheless, we would wager during her first session in the senate she will find some way to benefit her Rappahannock constituents.