Another moderate retires

As NLS reported earlier today, Sen. John Chichester has announced his retirement. This comes on the heels of the earlier announcement of fellow moderate Republican Senator Russ Potts. Also choosing to step aside is Sen. Del. Vince Callahan.

There is something to be said for people who garner the respect of members on both sides of the aisle. Shortly after Chichester’s announcement, Governor Tim Kaine released a statement which said, in part:

Senator Chichester is an effective and conscientious lawmaker who has guided and guarded Virginia’s budget priorities in a manner that always placed the needs of the Commonwealth first.

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Brian Moran also issued a statement:

Today one of Virginia’s great statesmen, Senator John Chichester, announced his retirement. I’m saddened by his decision but thank him for his tremendous service to the Commonwealth.

Virginians of both parties owe a great debt of gratitude to Senator Chichester. He was a tireless and effective advocate for the education of our children. And, as Chairman of Senate Finance, he protected and guarded Virginia’s good fiscal management. In recent years I’ve been proud to get to know John as our bi-partisan partner in the Senate. With his critical work, and Governor Warner’s leadership, Virginia was named the best managed state in the nation, the best state to do business, and the state in which a child has the most chance to succeed. That’s a record we can all be proud of.

He has showed time and again his unwavering commitment to do what’s best for Virginia’s future, regardless of politics or partisanship. The Virginia General Assembly needs more John Chichesters.

There are a number of Republicans who are quite happy that another so-called “RINO” is leaving the Senate, and they are probably using the above statements as a proof that Chichester was not a “real” Republican. What they miss in all of this is that Chichester was one of the folks who put the people of Virginia ahead of politics.

Such behavior is so rare in politics today. And made rarer still by these retirements. I don’t know Sen. Chichester but when someone is trying to do what’s best for the people, they earn my respect.

So what’s next? I agree with Lowell: Democrats need to rally behind our candidates. We cannot afford to allow the Senate to become the playground of the extreme wing of the Republican Party. We need to have balance, because the bulk of Virginians are neither liberal nor conservative, but consider themselves moderates.

Our elected officials should be representative of that balance. And the only way to bring that balance back to the fore is to increase the representation of Democrats in the Senate.