Lieutenant Gov. Dave Bowers?
Roanoke Mayor David Bowers at a Local Colors parade.
Terps texted me yesterday before I had seen this story, telling me (incorrectly, as it turns out) that Roanoke Mayor David Bowers was thinking about running for Virginia Attorney General.
That one really got my wheels turning, because the AG’s post requires legal and well as political talent. The former is a quality I’ve never witnessed in Bowers — and I’ve seen him in action in court.
He’s great in a parade though, whether he’s leading or trailing the Kazim Temple Clowns.
It was a great relief to learn that Terps was wrong, and that Bowers is instead floating a trial balloon for his candidacy for the office of Lieutenant Governor. That’s a do-nothing job Bowers could ably handle, provided the governor he serves under is relatively young and healthy.
Witness Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling. In his nearly eight years in office, he’s done very little. Most of the time Bolling has spent waiting to run for governor. He has a spokesman who sends out a weekly schedule, a list of mostly meaningless meetings Bolling attends around the state, shaking hands.
In 2011, Bolling cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate under which the General Assembly passed a law requiring abortion clinics to comply with building regulations of outpatient hospitals.
It was Bolling’s only act of any significance in almost eight years. Measured against that yardstick, Bowers could do little harm in the post.
Some people consider lieutenant governor a stepping stone to governor. But in the case of Bowers, I don’t buy it. He has about as much chance of being elected governor as I would have being elected president of the Roanoke Tea Party.
So Bowers gets my endorsement — for the second time this year!
Your thoughts are encouraged and appreciated.
September 21, 2012 - 12:21 PM
I’m a Democrat. But this dog will never hunt. I belive David sometimes is unfairly criticized and has accomplished a lot more for the City than he gets credit for. But his antics and his thirst for getting in front of every camera in ther known world in his lifetime make him too much of a caricature to be a serious candidate for higher office.
His best parade performance was in the Wells Fargo stage coach with Pearl. What a hoot!
Cock a doodle doo, any democrat will do.
Dan Casey 9-21-2012
Lt. Govenor? Really? I don’t think he’s gonna play very well outside of the Noke. If he doesn’t know that, someone should tell him.
This is how Texas ended up with Rick Perry.
Candidacy. Must. Be. Snuffed. Out.
The party powers-to-be and the top Dem candidates for Governor and AG would never let that happen. They would not run on a ticket with him. If he put his name in contention, he would lose in the State Party Convention or Primary to another Democrat. It is ashame, because Western VA does and should have at least one candidate out of the three top candidates for the three top state elected positions. State Senator John Edwards comes to mind as a proven and viable candidate and vote getter.
If Bowers was LG, God forbid he spots a mouse scurring across the floor of the legislature. Since, as we all know by now, mouse problems remind Bowers of the 911 terrorist attacks…..he may call in armed f-16′s to eliminate the problem.
As a consevative, Bowers as AG would be a dream come true. The Democrat brand would be ruined for a generation.He would keep Richmond in stitches and bring fun back into politics again.
oh, i so hope he runs!