Who Can Really Beat Bert Dodson? Mark Peake.

OK, I'm going to be taking a hard look at a few of the races going on in Virginia right now, and one that really jumps out to take notice is the race for the new, 22nd State Senate District. I've listened to what each of the candidates for the Republican nomination have to say, and I have to write that, in all reality, not one stands out to be able to beat the Democratic nominee, Bert Dodson, unless it's someone who can beat him on his own turf - meaning Lynchburg.

Now, I'm not meaning to sway that the seat has to come from Lynchburg, but the candidate to beat him is going to have to know him well enough to capitalize on what Bert has within his own base. No one else can do that than Mark Peake.

Bert is a likable guy. He's jovial. He's pretty smart. He's a great partier. But, he's also popular with quite of few of the Dems in Lynchburg, which will transfer into his getting theDemocratic vote throughout the new 22nd. I don't care how much one guy pulls the Tea Party vote from around the 22nd, the Republican candidate to receive the nomination after the primaries on 23 August HAS to be able to beat Bert Dodson. This isn't a beauty contest. It's a political contest, with the only goal for the Republicans to be beating Bert Dodson. A guy from Louisa County, Tom Garrett, is not going to be able to do that. A lobbyist with a background of a very damning lawsuit behind her is not going to be able to beat Bert Dodson. A college professor from Prince Edward County, Brian Bates, is not going to be able to beat Bert Dodson. Mark Peake knows Dodson and has worked in the same, political realm as Dodson. He's beaten the Dems on the same playing field. He has a proven background in the game of winning political elections against the other side. His closest opponent to be able to pull off the win in the real world of Republicans vs. Democrats and getting the Independent votes in between would be Bryan Rhode; but as great a guy as he is, he's on the opposite side of this new district and won't be able to pull the strong base that Bert will have in Lynchburg.

Now, this isn't a matter of anyone thinking that the seat has to be in Lynchburg; but when the Democratic candidate IS from Lynchburg, it takes that advantage to be able to pull off the win. Mark Peake is the only one with that going for him, regardless of what Claudia Tucker wants to portray. Her business background as a lobbyist and farmer is not going to be enough to pull off the win against a well-funded, Democratic candidate. Let's not be under any illusions. The Dems are going to go after this seat in a very big way, and they're going to throw what they have into it. It's going to take someone who can challenge Dodson on his own turf to be able to keep that seat from going to the Dems.

Again, the race for the Republican nomination for that 22nd State Senate District candidacy isn't a beauty contest. It's a matter of who can actually BEAT Bert Dodson. That has to be Mark Peake.