ANYTHING GOES: The election Big Top in Virginia

This election season I have been keeping an eye out for marching elephants, trapeze artists and cotton candy.

I haven’t seen any of these things yet, but given some of what has been going on in the state elections, it seems obvious that the circus has come to town.

From top to bottom, this campaign has been full of stupendous stunts and awe-inspiring acts of aggression.

In the center ring, we have strongman Creigh Deeds beating up on Bob McDonnell for his 20-year-old thesis.

At first, the content of the thesis was a shocking revelation, one that seemed to describe a great deal about Mr. McDonnell and his, perhaps, antiquated notions. But as time marched on and Deeds beat
the thesis horse until he killed it, one began to wonder what was more ridiculous: the thesis itself, or Deeds inability to talk about anything else.

Moving down the line of power, we have the shenanigans of the local races for the Virginia House of Delegates.

Lift your eyes to the roof of the circus tent and you will see Democrat Luke Torian of the 52nd District. This tightrope walker is vying for the seat previously filled by Republican Jeff Frederick. However,
when the NAACP sponsored a debate between Torian and his opponent, Republican Rafael Lopez, Torian was nowhere to be found.

It seems that Torian was less than enthused at the prospect of being questioned by one of the panelists at the debate: Democrat Mike Hodge. At least that’s what the local NAACP president, Ralph
Smith, said at the time. You see, Torian had faced Hodge before — in the Democratic primary for the 52nd District seat.

Torian’s campaign said he did not attend because an agreement could not be reached on the debate’s format.

If that campaign’s high-wire act doesn’t get you, then look to the ring on your far left where you will see Democrat Jeanette Rishell’s clown act in the 50th District.

It seems some supporters of hers handed out mailers that say she was endorsed by the Virginia Education Association.

Problem is, her opponent, Republican Jackson Miller is actually the one endorsed by the organization.

From what I hear, Rishell and her campaign manager weren’t aware this mailer — one left over from a previous campaign — was being distributed. But then, that excuse doesn’t make Ms. Rishell seem
any less clownish. If anything, it enhances the laugh value of the incident.

Finally, in the far-right ring, we have Republican Rich Anderson trying to tame a lion (the voting public) with an attack ad purporting to reveal the criminal past of his Democratic opponent.

Problem is, he didn’t tell the whole story.

Anderson’s attack ad announces that Democrat Paul Nichols and a friend were stopped for suspicion of a DWI in North Carolina in 2006. Furthermore, the ad includes a piece of paper citing Nichols
for “resist, delay, obstruct and assault on a public official.”

However, the mailer does not mention the fact that the charges were dropped, that Nichols has witnesses saying he was the victim of police misconduct, that he was a passenger, not a driver, or that he
has had the record expunged.

Even bolder than those omissions is the fact that the mailer revealed Nichols’ Social Security number along with other personal information. Seems like some identity thief could have had fun with that.

It remains to be seen whether the mailer will cause the voting public to roar or roll over, but it’s definitely possible that the mailer could lead to the lion attacking its incautious tamer.

This election cycle has been the strangest since I moved to Manassas, and I swear that at night I sometimes think I can hear the sounds of the Big Top just outside my window.

But despite all the entertainment, I think I will be happy when the circus pulls up stakes and moves on to the next town.

I’ve had enough frivolity this election season to last me for quite a while.

Alex Granados is the editorial page editor for the News & Messenger. Call him at 703-878-8069 or e-mail him at agranados@insidenova.com. If you aren’t sick of the circus, ask him to juggle; he will do it
on command.