Virginia Dem Supports (Gasp!) “Right To Fish”

In Virginia Republican former attorney general Jerry Kilgore is in a tight race for governor with incumbent lieutenant governor Tim Kaine, handpicked successor to popular Democratic governor Mark Warner.

Kilgore recently received two major endorsements, one surprising and one provoking a surprising response from Kaine.

The surprising endorsement came from the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, an organization that has strongly supported Gov. Warner and his tax policy that Kilgore has vigorously opposed.

“It’s surprising for two reasons,” said Larry J. Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. “Kaine won the debate in Fairfax, and this is Mark Warner’s base, and they’re turning their back on Warner’s chosen successor,” Sabato said, referring to Gov. Mark R. Warner (D).

The unsurprising but very important other recent endorsement of Kilgore came from the NRA. Actually, that was not as much of a given as many would suppose, since all candidates in Virginia support gun rights and the NRA in fact recently endorsed the Democratic candidate for attorney general. Nevertheless, no one was surprised when the NRA came out for Kilgore.

Maybe it’s just me, but I found Kaine’s response curious, if entertaining.

Kaine, the current lieutenant governor, said he was not surprised that the group backed Kilgore but said the decision does not mean he opposes gun rights.

“I’m a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. I’m a strong supporter of the right to hunt and fish,” Kaine said in an interview.

Gee, who knew the right to fish was under attack? The Second Amendment, most of you will know, says nothing about the right to hunt, much less fish. Indeed, even Sen. Schumer, no friend of the Second Amendment, is all in favor of what he terms “the legitimate rights of hunters.”

But it’s nice to know that if the right to hunt and fish ever is attacked, Sen. Schumer and Lt. Gov. Kaine will be among its stalwart defenders.