1st District candidates come out swinging

Robert J. “Rob” Wittman said his Democratic opponent Krystal Ball was running a negative campaign against him even before he won Tuesday’s Republican primary for the 1st District.

“I hope that she gets back on what people want to hear about,” said Wittman, who bested Catherine Crabill with 88 percent of the vote.

“They don’t want to hear about Washington as usual politics with negative campaigning,” said Wittman, who was first elected to the seat in a special election in 2007 to replace the late Jo Ann Davis, and was reelected to his first full term in 2008.

“People are tired of that,” continued Wittman, who lives in Montross and commutes daily to Washington. “They know our nation faces challenges. They want to hear a candidate’s ideas and how they are going to solve those problems.”

Ball disputes the assertion that her campaign has been negative.

She said she’s simply stating facts.

“From the beginning we’ve been talking about the issues and I think it’s fair to talk about Rob Wittman’s record since he’s been in Congress, and that’s certainly something we’re going to be doing throughout the campaign,” said Ball, the 28-year-old political newcomer who was named the 1st District’s Democratic candidate in May.

Wittman who voted against the health care bill, the stimulus package and the bank bailout said he would continue to vote against “excessive government spending on entitlement programs, consumer taxes to fight global warming, and government bailouts with taxpayer money.”

“We need to be talking about the details of the issues that are on folks minds — not only my voting record — but how my opponent would have voted these important issues,” Wittman said.

Ball, who said she would have supported the health care bill and the stimulus package, said Wittman was going to try and align her with national politicians whom he perceives as unpopular.

“He clearly wants to make this race about Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama, but they don’t live in the 1st District. He has to run against me and he has to run on his record,” said Ball who lives in Fredericksburg with her husband and daughter.

Ball said she would also be talking about the economy, protecting the Chesapeake Bay, creating “21st Century” jobs in Virginia and protecting military families as the campaign continues.

As a newcomer, Ball may be facing some tough odds.

According to the Federal Election Commission, Wittman has raised $790,845 and had $457,996 on hand as of May 19 while Ball has raised $520,948 and had $133,632 on hand as of April 18.

Ball said being new to the game might be an advantage in the district that stretches from Hampton Roads to parts of southern Prince William County.

“This is an interesting year and I think people are looking for a fresh perspective and some fresh blood,”said Ball who volunteers with the Sierra Club and is active in the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond.

Wittman said Ball may be new to the game but her tactics are the same old thing.

“For someone who claims she is a fresh face for Virginia, her negative attacks are tired, old politics as usual,” Wittman said in a campaign press release. “I challenge my Democrat opponent to take positions on the issues and carry out an honest, positive campaign instead of the misleading political mudslinging that she has already begun with.”

Voter turnout across the state was about 7 percent Tuesday, according to the Board of Elections website.

Prince William residents voted 82 percent for Wittman with a 2 percent turnout.

Senior Reporter Keith Walker can be reached at 703-369-6751.