Hanger, Sayre Work to Combat Low Voter Turnout
Sunday, May 27, 2007(Waynesboro, The News Virginian)
By Bob
Stuart
The Senate District 24
Republican Primary turnout is expected to be
low on June 12, making it important that
candidates Emmett Hanger and Scott Sayre get
their base of voters out to the polls.
Sayre is appealing to a
conservative base, while Hanger said he is also
seeking conservative voters. Experts say Hanger
also needs to get the votes of moderate and
centrist voters.
James Madison
University political scientist Bob Roberts said
Hanger needs “the support of the moderate
Republicans and Independents. He needs the same
people who will vote for him in the general
election.”
The Sayre campaign is
employing a two-pronged strategy to garner
voters for their candidate.
“Organization and
education,’’ said John Darden, Sayre’s senior
strategist and a longtime Albemarle County
Republican. Darden said a cadre of volunteers
is working to get voters out for Sayre on June
12.
Darden said the education
is to assure voters “have a clear understanding
of our opponent’s record.” The Sayre campaign
has talked about Hanger’s support of a
half-cent sales tax increase in 2004, and has
trumpeted Sayre’s promise not to raise taxes,
to look for creative ways to deal with state
transportation issues and illegal
immigration.
Hanger does not have a
clear strategy on getting voters out. But the
incumbent has spent recent days on the campaign
trail detailing his record. He said his support
of the half-cent sales tax increase in 2004
provided more state funding for education and
took some of that revenue burden off of
Virginia ’s local governments.
He
also is telling supporters and others “if they
don’t come out in the primary, the results
could be unpredictable.”
Roberts said discussion
of Hanger’s votes on taxes come at a bad time.
Two cities in District 24, Staunton and
Waynesboro , have had recent reassessments,
driving the assessed value of homes up and
increasing real-estate taxes.
The
political scientist said Hanger needs to
explain further that he has supported tax
increases “not for liberal programs, and that a
large percentage of the revenue went back to
local governments.” Roberts said Hanger also
should explain that the increased taxes went
for education and transportation.
Darden said Hanger’s
record on taxes is resonating in Sayre’s favor.
But the strategist said the Sayre campaign is
not taking their opponent
lightly.
“He is an entrenched politician, and
we are not underestimating him,’’ Darden
said.
Hanger has noted some of
the negative Internet blogging about him, and
said, “If what was said on the blogs would
determine the outcome, I would lose. I have
been hammered for months.”
The
incumbent is convinced his base of support is
strong. “I’m more popular in general public
than before,’’ he said.