Yost gets another $80K for 12th House District race
Correction: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Robert Kempton’s name.
Republican Joseph Yost has another $80,045 for his run for the 12th District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.
The contribution from the Republican Party of Virginia was an in-kind donation of broadcast media ads, reported the Virginia Public Access Project, which tracks campaign finances. The new donation brings Yost’s campaign fund-raising total to more than $240,000, about five times the amount raised by his Democratic opponent Don Langrehr.
Most of Yost’s money has come from Republican groups outside the 12th District, which takes in Giles County, Radford, and parts of Montgomery and Pulaski counties. Langrehr, most of whose money has come from district residents, has called the state GOP’s support for Yost an attempt to buy the election.
Yost’s campaign manager, David Ferguson, said tonight that there would be no comment on the new donation. Yost is “working hard to meet voters in person and by every means possible,” Ferguson said.
The 12th District race is Yost’s first bid for public office. A Giles County native and Blacksburg resident, Yost, 25, works for the Mental Health Alliance, training police officers in how to deal with mentally ill people. He has volunteered for Republican campaigns in the past and serves as the secretary of the Montgomery County GOP.
Langrehr, 53, is a two-term Blacksburg Town Councilman and Radford University professor who trains teachers.
Democrats have tried to highlight the gap between Langrehr and Yost’s experience in public office, and also that Yost has not appeared at most of the candidate forums to which the two candidates were invited. Yost’s campaign manager has explained that Yost had prior engagements that conflicted with some of the forums, and that others, such as a recent event in Prices Fork, were not clearly designated as welcoming state-level as well as local candidates.
“By avoiding five candidate forums, Yost and his handlers are obviously afraid to face the questions and scrutiny of voters,” Langrehr campaign manager Robert Kempton wrote in an email. “He’s a packaged candidate and their campaign is intent on purchasing democracy with money from special interest groups. Don Langrehr has been practicing democracy and open government since 2002 with strong admirable results, winning the respect of NRV residents. Don’s commitment to the New River Valley will continue well beyond this election.”
The central plank of Yost’s campaign is a promise to try to bring jobs to the district by reducing government regulation and spending. Langrehr has countered that government would do better to only give tax breaks and other standard development incentives to companies that pay a middle-class wage.
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This is ridiculous.
Yost is avoiding any debate, and just trying to buy the election by selling his soul to special interests. Yost represents exactly what is wrong with the dysfunctional politics we have today. Its all about the money, isnt it Mr Yost?
Yost’s behavior is disgusting.
Don is CLEARLY the better choice.
Comment by dan steinberg — October 29, 2011 @ 10:30 pm
It’s outrageous to me that this inexperienced Yost is able to buy an election with out of region funds. Why doesn’t he show up to the forums? I think he doesn’t know the issues.
What kind of Delegate will Yost be if he doesn’t even have the respect for his future constituents to show up to forums? I don’t think he’ll reflect our interests in the House of Delegates, only those of his out of region contributors.
Comment by Molly — October 29, 2011 @ 10:44 pm
Yost has never served on any kind of local government elected office
or committee. If he is going to serve the citizens of our region,
the least he could do is show up to a debate to answer questions and
allow us to understand what kind of politician we might elect.
Arrogantly refusing to debate combined with zero track record and huge
external funds is an insult to voters.
I think that the RNC in Richmond and Northern Virginia thins it can
buy an election without folks noticing. Thanks for reporting on this.
If the news media doesn’t report on cases where there is a 5 to 1
lopsided funding from external sources to a candidate that refuses
to appear in debates, then our democracy in Virginia is in trouble.
Comment by Peter — October 30, 2011 @ 1:39 pm
Yost’s funders in Richmond have invested some good money in this candidate. Because Yost has no track record, he is a perfect template for representing their interests. The interests of the RNC in Richmond are not necessarily aligned with the interests of the people in Southwest Virginia (even Republicans in Southwest Virginia). Clearly, his funders don’t want him to take questions from citizens in debates or interact with them. In doing so, he might make promises to Southwest Virginians that conflict with the funders’ interests. It’s much better for their puppet candidate to make bland and simple statements about reducing taxes, keeping government small, etc. A purchased politician from external interests with a blank background is a very dangerous thing.
Comment by Zoltan — October 30, 2011 @ 4:36 pm
It is very sad to see outside money pouring into a local election at this level.
Outside influences are trying to buy another person to do their bidding in Richmond. Too bad that the citizens lose in this case.
Comment by Philip — October 31, 2011 @ 2:14 pm
Don is way behind in the polls and the RNC wants to seal the deal. Don is an ultra-liberal out of touch with SWVA. Everybody knows candidates don’t debate when they are way out front. Yost is going to win big time!!!!
Comment by AA OO DON'S GOT 2 GO — October 31, 2011 @ 2:56 pm
As a member of the state House of Delegates, Yost would be involved in decisions that benefit one region at the expense of the other. For example, expensive fixes to Northern Virginia roads vs. fixing Route 81 in Southwest Virginia (or vs. no fixes and keeping taxes low). If Yost’s funding is coming almost entirely from outside Southwest Virginia, will he be representing the interests of the people in his district or the people funding him who are in other parts of the state? Even if you agree with Yost’s principles of small government, low taxes, etc., electing a candidate who represents people outside your district could bite you.
Comment by Warren Lapine — October 31, 2011 @ 6:03 pm
Bla Bla Bla…..Don is not even from VA. He is a transplant from NJ. Electing someone not from here could bite you.
Comment by AA OO DON'S GOT 2 GO — November 1, 2011 @ 11:22 pm
Anyone thinking that Don is not an ultra-liberal, Occupy Wall Street supporter, anti-gun, democrat party line-walker is totally absurd. Don is no moderate, just another tax and spend democrat. That has already said he plans on raising taxes to pay for roads. Sorry Don, you can keep your Change.
Comment by AA OO DON'S GOT 2 GO — November 1, 2011 @ 11:36 pm
AA OO DON’S GOT 2 GO, let me see if I understand. You believe that once you give your word to show up at an event and debate someone that’s it’s okay to go back out on your word if the polls say you’re going to win. So conservatives put no value on keeping their word? I think that explains a lot.
Comment by Warren Lapine — November 2, 2011 @ 12:27 pm
Mr. Yost will represent the 12th well. He is from here, not like don. Don is anti-jobs and anti-business. He cares only about Blacksburg. If the areas of Pulaski, Giles and Radford City want to be like Blacksburg, he’s your man. If you enjoy your Walmart, creating jobs and low taxes, Mr. Yost is your man.
Electing someone not from this area(don), could bite you!
Comment by b.o.h.i.c.a. — November 2, 2011 @ 1:05 pm
Don is a HYPOCRITE. Why doesn’t do give back the 28,000 dollars from his party. Don has been bought by special interests outside the region.
Comment by Roberts — November 2, 2011 @ 5:25 pm
@Warren: Why is Don building his campaign on nasty negative tactics? Do we really want a tool representing us? Don needs to man-up and stop complaining about outside money since he just took $28K from his party. Just like a liberal to be a tool. I think that explains the most.
Comment by AA OO DON'S GOT 2 GO — November 2, 2011 @ 5:32 pm
If a candidate wishes for votes, they should be willing to debate along with other candidates in front of the voters. They owe constituents the opportunity to see them debate other politicians. Meeting them door-to-door is a nice touch, but it doesn’t give voters the chance to see all their sides. I’m sure they don’t interact with folks in Richmond the same way they do with their constituents when they’re standing at the front porch shooting the breeze.
Comment by jen — November 2, 2011 @ 6:18 pm
Most debates are the same old, same old. They only repeat what they have said before. If you have ever watched don at a TC meeting, you would see, he never listens to anyone. He only wants what he wants. He said in his anti-walmart speech, he could buy his socks at the local Family Dollar. Wonder if he knows that Blacksburg no longer has one. He states he is underpaid as a professor. Is this a hint that he wants more money from tax payers?
Comment by b.o.h.i.c.a. — November 2, 2011 @ 7:55 pm
Don did the right thing in the WalMart scandal. Walmart and their developers lied to the town of blacksburg about their plans. And Walmart would have cost local taxpayers money. This didnt happen because Don worked for local citizens.
Don did the right thing-he protected local taxpayers from the WalMart scam.
These other posters on here are LYING, and are probably paid by the VA republican party to spread their lies.
Comment by dan s — November 3, 2011 @ 12:03 pm
Dan, I am not lying and I am not being paid by ANYONE! What scam are you talking about? How would the tax revenue brought in by Walmart and the extra jobs hurt Blacksburg? How many Walmarts are in the 12th? Are you saying that these localities were scammed? The money that the Town invested, water, sewer and roads will be wasted thanks to don. That area is slowly dying. Are you being paid by the Dems(don) to spread their (his) lies?
Comment by b.o.h.i.c.a. — November 3, 2011 @ 1:00 pm
There is a Walmart in Christiansburg, Pulaski, Giles county (which are all part of the 12th district). People who live in this area know that.
The town did not want another Walmart (which would be next to an elementary school and a bit of a drive to a major freeway. Christiansburg is five minutes away from Blacksburg and right off the freeway. The parents in Blacksburg did not want a Walmart next to an elementary school. The developers tricked the town into believing it would be a mix of shops, restaurants and housing for the 1st and Main site where the Walmart would have been.
Blacksburg has some great shops plus it is home to Virginia Tech. We have
unique shops (childrens boutique, art supply store, chocolate store) and ethnic restaurants (Ethiopian, Vietnamese-Thai, French bakery). I am just waiting for a decent grocery to open up.
If you want the usual, big box stores of Target, Walmart and the mall are five minutes away in Christiansburg.
Comment by SDinBlacksburg — November 3, 2011 @ 10:19 pm
The WalMart developers lied to the town of Blacksburg. They concealed their intention to build a big box store. On the plans they submitted, they dishonestly indicated they intended to build apartments where they actually planned to build a walmart. This was the basis for the original approval. When the truth came out, and the lying scumbag developers admitted their true intentions, they sued. Don helped protect the town of blacksburg from the lying developers.
I was there. I know what happened. Don demanded accountability and honesty from the developers.
The Walmart would have cost taxpayers money due to water/sewer/electric/road hookups. And the jobs Walmart brings are low wage, crappy jobs. In many communities, WalMart costs taxpayers MORE in services than the community gains in revenue. And there was every indication this was going to be the case in Blacksburg.
Comment by dan s — November 4, 2011 @ 12:45 pm
That First and Main is not successful is entirely the fault of the developers and greedy, dishonest investors. First and Main was a bad idea. Thats not the towns fault. That’s the developer’s fault. Dont make the ridiculous argument that it would have been successful if only local taxpayers had spent even more. Its not the responsibility of the town to make sure that developers are profitable.
The developers lied to the town about their intentions. Thats a fact. If the developers had been honest from the beginning, they would have had a successful development. But their lies and dishonesty ruined their plans.
Its also a fact that Don and other good people on the town council held the developers accountable for their lies.
Comment by dan s — November 4, 2011 @ 12:51 pm
Don let a developer and investors clean up a rat-infested area and eyesore at their cost. Then he underhandedly found out they might change the plans, which happens sometimes when developing an area. The developer offers up proffers to the Town to help with the cost of undating the water, sewer and roads in that area. How can anyone make an argument that Walmart would cost the Town more. They would be adding to the tax base, paying fees for services provided by the Town. So, Don thinks that once a business comes to the area, he could care less if they make a profit! With that mindset, the business would move out. They harassed Sonic so bad, they decided Blacksburg was not the place for them. Thanks again, don.
Comment by b.o.h.i.c.a. — November 5, 2011 @ 2:09 pm
I am always suspicious of a candidate that can’t raise money in an important campaign. The Democrats are pumping money into candidates in surrounding districts but avoiding Dan Langrehr like he does not exist. If his own party won’t support him, should we? http://www.vpap.org/candidates/large_pre?view=summary
Comment by Jane — November 7, 2011 @ 12:26 pm