As I fought afternoon traffic heading into downtown for the investiture of my friend, Joe Migliozzi, my phone rang. The person on the other end informed me that Jon Bowerbank, who has been in the LG race longer than anyone else, was dropping out of the race. Moments later, a text message: he was out and endorsing Jody.
Like others, I was stunned. After all, it looked like Bowerbank’s candidacy was picking up steam. I’ve received two or three mail pieces from him, the last just a couple of days ago. And he’s been campaigning hard – take a look at his Twitter feed and you’ll get a sense of his travels. In fact, I was looking forward to seeing him again at my 4th Annual Memorial Day Bash next week. (The photo you see above was taken at last year’s event. ) Just last Monday he was calling for more debates. And we all know the LG race is wide open – the last PPP poll (pdf) showed a whopping 69% of the voters as being undecided.
His email explaining his reasons for “suspending” his campaign actually raise more questions than they answer. Of course he’s responsible to his family and his employees – but what changed today that made that responsibility more pressing than it has been for the last 18 months? With 25 days to go, it just seems odd.
I was disappointed that he chose not to participate in last Sunday’s debate, as it would have been the first time I had the chance to hear him speak, not to mention the only time many of us had the chance to hear all three candidates at the same time.
I really do wish Jon the very best. His email, along with the responses of his opponents, are below the fold.
For Immediate Release Contact: Brigit Helgen
May 15, 2009 703-549-5254
Statement from Jon Bowerbank Suspending His Campaign
Cedar Bluff, VA – Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate Jon Bowerbank today released the following statement:
“For the past year and a half, I have traveled the length and breadth of our great Commonwealth. I have been inspired by the people of Virginia, the commitment of the various candidates and elected officials I have met along the way and by the many people who are such an important part of our democracy … committed volunteers, activists, reporters, editors and bloggers just to name a few.
I have had the pleasure of occupying a front row seat at numerous major political events, debates and forums. I have spent a significant amount of time getting to know the other candidates for various offices. I have also learned a great deal about the issues that confront the people and institutions of our Commonwealth.
My campaign for Lieutenant Governor was born from a desire to be of greater service to the people of Virginia. That desire has not wavered. In fact, I have found that my service as a member of the Board of Supervisors in Russell County is extremely satisfying. I feel that my colleagues and I are really making a difference in the lives of the people we serve.
I firmly believe that my central campaign premise – increasing job creation for Virginia centralized through green/non-conventional energy and rebuilding our core infrastructure while we retool our educational systems – is as sound now as it was 18 months ago. In fact, it is probably even more critical as we are all unfortunately in the midst of a severe economic crisis not experienced since the Great Depression.
However I am responsible first and foremost to my family and my employees at EMATS and because of those responsibilities for the next 30 days and the next 6 months, I would no longer be able to devote my energies to this campaign full time. I believe Virginia and the Democratic Party need someone who can devote their full attention and energy to the job of being the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor
I have, therefore, reached a decision to suspend my campaign and to throw my full and unqualified endorsement behind the candidacy of Jody Wagner. I have gotten to know Jody well on the campaign trail and believe she would be a great nominee and a great Lieutenant Governor.
I have also come to know Mike Signer, and I wish him well now and in the future. My decision to endorse Jody is not a negative reflection on him.
I care deeply about Virginia and I fear that to continue this campaign at this time would simply cause tumult and acrimony and give aid and comfort to those who stand in the way of the process. I want to be part of a unified Democratic Party now and in the future, and I believe my decision is in the best interest of the party.
I want to personally thank those who have been so supportive of me. My Congressman, Rick Boucher, was an early and enthusiastic supporter as were former Congresswoman Leslie Byrne, State Senators Chap Petersen and Phillip Puckett and Delegates Dan Bowling, Bud Phillips, Lionel Spruill, and Joe Johnson. I also wish to thank the 100+ elected and party officials that have endorsed my candidacy. I especially want to thank my family for the sacrifices they made as I traveled across the state and I look forward to spending more time with them.
I am very grateful to my staff; they have worked hard for me and I have said many times that I have the hardest working campaign and we were positioned well. I hope they will all work as hard for our nominee as they have worked for me.
I have also made a decision to return political contributions to those who have supported my campaign. I will instruct my staff in the coming days to prepare checks to refund those contributions.
Now simply wasn’t my time. I resolutely believe, however, that my time will come. In the future I intend to again offer myself for public service. When that time comes I will be prepared to run and to serve.
Today is the two year anniversary of the death of my hero … my father … Tom Bowerbank. He and I shared a great admiration of Winston Churchill. My father taught me this quote of Winston Churchill’s. “Never give in! Never give in! Never, never, never, never – in nothing great and small – large and petty – never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.”
I believe my decision to give in on this campaign is based on honour and good sense and, in that respect, I hope this would have made Winston, and my father, proud.”
-30-
…..
For Immediate Release
May 15, 2009
Contact: press@jodyforva.com
BOWERBANK ENDORSES WAGNER
RICHMOND – Today former Secretary of Finance Jody Wagner thanked Jon Bowerbank for his support. On Friday, Bowerbank ended his candidacy for Lt. Governor and endorsed Wagner, saying “I have…reached a decision to suspend my campaign and to throw my full and unqualified endorsement behind the candidacy of Jody Wagner. I have gotten to know Jody well on the campaign trail and believe she would be a great nominee and a great Lieutenant Governor”
Wagner released the following statement: “I want to sincerely thank Jon for his support. Since I entered this race last August, Jon and I have shared a commitment to addressing the critical issues that face the Commonwealth. Jon has been a tireless advocate for creating new jobs, expanding the economy, and strengthening our public education system. I have great respect for his experience in starting and growing a business in Virginia – a background we share, and one that will be critical in helping to turn our state into a leader in the industries of the future, such as renewable energy production. I look forward to campaigning alongside Jon in the coming weeks and months, and I know the Democratic Party of Virginia is fortunate to have his leadership.”
STATEMENT FROM MIKE SIGNER ON JON BOWERBANK’S DEPARTURE FROM RACE
“Jon Bowerbank was a formidable opponent and I wish him the best of luck in his personal, professional, and future political life.”
“This development is great news for this campaign. We will now have a two-person race, with clear choices. Make no mistake: I am running because the Democratic Party I’ve been fighting for for nearly 15 years is about social justice and economic fairness. I have the fire in the belly to take on Bill Bolling with my message of turning the office of Lieutenant Governor from a placeholder to a public advocate and shine a spotlight on problems we’ve ignored for too long. As Senior Strategist to Tom Perriello on his upset race last year, I have a record of beating tough Republicans—and I can’t wait to do it again this fall.”
“With the highest number of online donors, growing union support, three Congressional District Democratic chairs, dozens of local Democratic chairs, and a growing number of elected officials joining my campaign, one thing is clear: this campaign is about momentum, which will take us through June 9 and to victory this fall.”
Party insiders choosing your candidates as well? We had that problem with our chairman.
PPP has been polling this race since late January. The high undecideds have been consistent, but Wagner has outpolled all her combined opponents in 3 of their 4 published polls, a pretty clear sign that none of the others is making headway. This had to be bad news for Bowerbank, who has been in the race far longer than anyone else and who has been burning large piles of his own money in the process. He couldn’t get out ahead of the weak, underfunded campaigns of Edmonson and Savage, and he seems to be treading water behind Mike Signer. Bowerbank’s a businessman, and he finally made the decision to stop throwing good money after bad. It looks like an admission of reality to me.
Yeah, but it was bad news for months. I’m not buying that excuse now. A couple of months ago it would have made more sense.
Everyone has a different breaking point. Bowerbank’s came later than it probably should have, for his bank account at least.
It could be that he finally realized that he wasn’t connecting with audiences. He spoke at the Norfolk Democratic breakfast two weeks ago and turned off more voters than he turned on. (The fact that he, the energy engineer-entrepreneur, transparently ducked a question about uranium mining near Lake Gaston didn’t help.) You can only live in denial about that sort of thing for so long.
Maybe he got caught with a guy.
Xerox seems to think he/she should copy the same cynical sarcastic comments that keep many decent people from considering running for an elected office. The stains on your fingers are not due to toner.
My comments “keep many decent people from considering running for an elected office”? I had no idea I was so powerful. Go me!
So he’s out of the race why are the Klears Democrat Bashing?????
I don’t think the comments this Randy guy was making were Democrat Bashing as much as expressing political realities of campaigning. Name recognition and popularity tend to win out over substance. Bowerbank may not have given him the politicially expedient answer about uranium, but one has to remember that, like members of the oldest profession, seasoned politicians frequently say what you might want to hear because the price is right.
Both Wagner and Signer have packaged “platforms” that they think people will buy in order to get votes, but it is unrealistic to expect that a Lt. Governor will be able to act on anything other than what the Governor wants them or allows them to do.
Reportedly froze up at a meeting in Chesapeake when an attendee talked about real financial problems, Wagner froze up and said nothing. What has Signer done with a real problems other than litigate?
Correction…it was reportedly Wagner that froze up in Chesapeake, not Signer or Bowerbank.
It wasn’t that Bowerbank didn’t give the politically expedient answer. It was that he gave the politically expedient non-answer, and that he looked out of touch in a field in which he was the candidate with direct expertise. Neither of those was a good sign.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Party insiders choosing your candidates as well? We had that problem with our chairman.
PPP has been polling this race since late January. The high undecideds have been consistent, but Wagner has outpolled all her combined opponents in 3 of their 4 published polls, a pretty clear sign that none of the others is making headway. This had to be bad news for Bowerbank, who has been in the race far longer than anyone else and who has been burning large piles of his own money in the process. He couldn’t get out ahead of the weak, underfunded campaigns of Edmonson and Savage, and he seems to be treading water behind Mike Signer. Bowerbank’s a businessman, and he finally made the decision to stop throwing good money after bad. It looks like an admission of reality to me.
Yeah, but it was bad news for months. I’m not buying that excuse now. A couple of months ago it would have made more sense.
Everyone has a different breaking point. Bowerbank’s came later than it probably should have, for his bank account at least.
It could be that he finally realized that he wasn’t connecting with audiences. He spoke at the Norfolk Democratic breakfast two weeks ago and turned off more voters than he turned on. (The fact that he, the energy engineer-entrepreneur, transparently ducked a question about uranium mining near Lake Gaston didn’t help.) You can only live in denial about that sort of thing for so long.
Maybe he got caught with a guy.
Xerox seems to think he/she should copy the same cynical sarcastic comments that keep many decent people from considering running for an elected office. The stains on your fingers are not due to toner.
My comments “keep many decent people from considering running for an elected office”? I had no idea I was so powerful. Go me!
So he’s out of the race why are the Klears Democrat Bashing?????
I don’t think the comments this Randy guy was making were Democrat Bashing as much as expressing political realities of campaigning. Name recognition and popularity tend to win out over substance. Bowerbank may not have given him the politicially expedient answer about uranium, but one has to remember that, like members of the oldest profession, seasoned politicians frequently say what you might want to hear because the price is right.
Both Wagner and Signer have packaged “platforms” that they think people will buy in order to get votes, but it is unrealistic to expect that a Lt. Governor will be able to act on anything other than what the Governor wants them or allows them to do.
Reportedly froze up at a meeting in Chesapeake when an attendee talked about real financial problems, Wagner froze up and said nothing. What has Signer done with a real problems other than litigate?
Correction…it was reportedly Wagner that froze up in Chesapeake, not Signer or Bowerbank.
It wasn’t that Bowerbank didn’t give the politically expedient answer. It was that he gave the politically expedient non-answer, and that he looked out of touch in a field in which he was the candidate with direct expertise. Neither of those was a good sign.