THOUGH it is only late July, media attention for the upcoming ballot decisions is heating up. The Northern Virginia regional sales tax for transportation infrastructure is the most noteworthy of three public referenda that various regions of the Commonwealth will be voting on. After a year of complicated political wheelings and dealings, Northern Virginia will decide whether to tax itself for transportation needs. Last week, Senator John Warner (R-Va.) publicly announced his partnership with Gov. Mark R. Warner to promote a "yes" vote on the referendum. This past Tuesday, the Hampton Roads Daily Press reported rumors that former Gov. James S. Gilmore III is likely to oppose the new regional tax. The face-off between Virginia's politicos - both past and present - exposes the remarkable political savvy for Sen. Warner, and will lead to disaster for Gilmore.
Without a doubt, Gilmore could use some positive press, and soon. For those who may not remember the not-so-golden years of the Gilmore administration, his exit from public life has been marked with embarrassment. After stepping down - with more than modest encouragement - from the Republican National Committee Chairmanship, Gilmore finished his gubernatorial term and passed on a significant revenue shortfall to successor Mark Warner. A trained attorney, Gilmore followed the lead of ex-governors before him and put his name out to major Virginia law firms. Embarrassingly, his over-inflated asking price left him partner-less months after exiting the governor's mansion - and he still didn't get his top choice. To add insult to injury, the Librarian of Virginia has accused former staffers from the Gilmore administration of destroying documents promised to the Library of Virginia.
Now, opposing this tax only will make things worse for Gilmore. Going head-to-head with Sen. Warner is a losing battle no matter how the outcome is settled. In the 1994 election, then-incumbent Sen. Charles R. Robb and former Governor of Virginia was facing a formidable challenge from Lt. Col. Oliver North of Iran Contra fame: an archconservative even by Virginia standards. The elder statesman, Sen. Warner, took a risk by crossing party lines to publicly support Robb's campaign, and Robb won the election in a squeaker. The move won Sen. Warner a great deal of respect from moderate-to-liberal Virginians, and he went on to sweep past now-governor, then-senatorial hopeful Mark Warner in the 1996 election. Such tactics mark the strength of Virginia's elder senator.
Not just any politician could stare in the face of the very party that helped put him in office and publicly support the enemy. Once again, Sen. Warner is sticking his neck out as he crosses party lines, but with good judgment. By teaming with Gov. Warner on an issue that, if passed, will bring billions of dollars of transportation improvements to Northern Virginia, the senator is endearing himself to the largest and most influential voting bloc in the Commonwealth. By some estimates, more than one out of every five voters lives in Fairfax County alone, not to mention the other massive municipalities that gain substantial project funding if the referendum passes. Gilmore, on the other hand, would be working toward being credited with saving Northern Virginians from increased taxes. However, even if Gilmore wins, he loses, because he would fall even further out of favor with the Republican party by tarnishing the now-golden image of Sen. Warner.
The referendum issue simply goes to show that even within the same party, there are smart politicians and then there are those who lack foresight. In this case, Gilmore is setting himself up for a fall - the last thing he needs to rehabilitate the ruins of his public career. Sen. John Warner, yet again, has made a smart decision. It is no wonder that he remains essentially unchallenged in his bid for reelection this year. Republican or Democrat, Virginians can recognize a smart leader when they see one.
(Preston Lloyd is a Cavalier Daily columnist. He can be reached at plloyd@cavalierdaily.com.)
Read More
A statement by 40 Jewish faculty and staff on antisemitism and DEI at U.Va.
By Jewish Faculty & Staff at U.Va. | YesterdayAs scholars and teachers, we know that dissent and debate strengthen our intellectual commitments and moral judgments rather than threaten them. We reject any attempt to deny these basic truths.
KURTZWEIL: Little sympathy for LittleJohn’s closure
By Paul Kurtzweil | 6 days agoWith a new class of students arriving in August, Corner restaurants will face another test of their price discrimination and thus need to learn LittleJohn’s lesson quickly.
A statement by 401 concerned faculty regarding the crisis of President Ryan’s forced resignation
By Concerned Faculty | July 10, 2025We call on the Board to collaborate closely with faculty in appointing an Interim President to guide the university through this perilous time.
