Put Them Out of Our Misery

Tom Davis' prominent place in the new report by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) on Members of Congress paying money and steering benefits to family members (see Andrea Chamblee's latest great analysis over at RK and elsewhere) stands as another straw on our camel's back. As Alice Marshall pointed out the other day at GOTV, Davis has added far right Bushian authoritarianism to his corruption in threatening to subpoena Valerie Plame. And, it's almost impossible to understand Davis' defending Lurita Doan, a person that even Bush's own appointee found to have broken the law and recommended that she be fired.

It seems more and more likely that Tom Davis has seen the writing on wall as far as his future representing CD-11 is concerned. An intriguing post at Rudeclerk (a site I just discovered today) suggests that had the Dems been more united and supportive, Andy Hurst would have done even better than he did and may have won. I think the late breaking and surprising Dem wave last year was realized too late to help Andy. In fact, I think that if the wave had come earlier and been more appreciated here, the Dem establishment might have pushed a more well known and experienced candidate.

One last tidbit of info, take it for what it's worth - I've heard unconfirmed rumors that Davis has lucrative private sector opportunities awaiting his retirement from public life.

Given all the above and given that Davis can wait until after this November to announce his intentions as far as his House seat goes, it really does seem that Davis might try for John Warner's Senate seat if Warner retires, and, even if Warner doesn't retire, Davis might be seriously considering not running for re-election.

If Davis has given up on his CD-11 constituents, why should we have to put up with his wife for another four years, especially when we have a far superior option in Chap Petersen?

I don't know which Dems will run for CD-11 next year. I've heard Connolly. I've heard Byrne. Hurst may try again. We're quite lucky in that, as in the case of the leading Dems for President, all of the above are way better than Davis or anyone the GOP is likely to nominate.

I say let's help Tom Davis make up his mind by demonstrating this year what we think of him. Vote for Chap this November. We'll get a better state Senator, and we'll tell Tom Davis that we're sick of him and his sordid baggage (and, no I'm not calling Jeannemarie baggage. Sordid, on the other hand,....).