As the fall midterm elections approach, local congressional races are drawing increased attention from prospective voters.
Democratic candidate Ben Jones is challenging Republican incumbent Eric Cantor in Virginia's 7th Congressional district, which extends north from Richmond through Page County.
Many voters will recognize Jones as the actor who played Cooter on the popular television show, "The Dukes of Hazzard." Jones also served two terms as a Georgia Congressman from 1988 to 1992 before former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich defeated him.
Cantor currently is serving his first term in the House of Representatives.
As the campaign draws into its final weeks, the candidates plan to emphasize their stances on the issues and get out the vote.
"The focus of the campaign has been about getting Ben's message out about being for the public interest and not the special interest," Jones' campaign manager Ben Tribbett said.
Cantor's campaign manager Matt Williams said some of Cantor's goals are aiding the president in the war on terrorism and improving education.
"The issues we're focused on are national security, economic security and social security," Williams said.
Controversy has swirled around the campaign since its inception.
In one instance, Jones drew criticism from many opponents for his use of "the General Lee." The item in question is the orange 1969 Dodge Charger from the "Dukes of Hazzard" that prominently displays a Confederate flag on its roof.
"It's a non-issue," Tribbett said. "Ben has been defended by people from John Lewis to Pat Buchanan."
Former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder openly criticized this aspect of Jones' campaign in anopinion article in last Sunday's edition of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
"Rather than engage in a campaign that would embrace the current issues facing the nation ... this candidate campaigns in a car with the Confederate flag on the top," the article read.
Jones personally responded to criticisms regarding the car in a Virginian-Pilot editorial entitled "Objection! No racist message from Cooter or the Good Old General Lee."
Lawrence H. Framme III, chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, stands by his party's candidate.
"It doesn't have any particular meaning, certainly no racial meaning," Framme said.
According to Framme, Cantor supporters raised the issue in campaign materials.
"The biggest thing that is encouraging to me is that the Cantor people have gone so far out of their way to attack him on this issue," Framme said.
Williams dismisses references to the Confederate flag issue.
"I think this is the most absurd thing on Earth," he said. "We've got a lot more important issues in this country to debate about than that."
Jones has criticized Cantor for accepting donations from national political action committees.
Jones publicly vowed not to accept money from political action committees for this campaign.
The Cantor campaign does not deny that their candidate accepts PAC money.
"I think it's political rhetoric from Ben Jones," Williams said. "It's just political smokescreen to divert from other issues in this campaign."
In an independent poll taken three to four weeks ago by the Hickman-Brown polling firm, Cantor received 48 percent and Jones 44 percent with 8 percent quoted as undecided among definite voters who have heard of Ben Jones, according to Tribbett.
Williams, however, places little faith in this poll.
"It was a poll that they paid for," Williams said. "It's the most comical thing I think I've ever heard of in my life."
Read More
Student Council votes to relocate Hereford orchard and basketball hoop
By Lauren Seeliger | 3 hours agoStudent Council passed a resolution Tuesday to relocate the orchard and basketball hoop of Hereford Residential College due to construction in the surrounding area.
Dean Rucker honored with Z Society’s highest honor, Pale Z Award
By Brendon Bordwine | 20 hours agoThe Society has a storied history of honoring University leaders with the Pale Z.
Students receive free STI testing through U.Va. Health and Wellness
By Jackie Bond | YesterdayThrough funding from Student Council, students are now able to receive free STI testing with SHW which includes tests for HIV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and Hepatitis C.
