Audio: State Sen. Bryce Reeves (R), Facing Strong Challenge from Dem Amy Laufer, Is Either Panic-Stricken or Actually Believes His Lunacy

Among the potentially endangered Republican incumbents in Virginia this year, State Sen. Bryce Reeves (R-SD17; Spotsylvania, Orange, Albemarle, Louisa, Culpeper counties; Fredericksburg city) is most certainly on the list. First of all, SD17 is a purple-ish district, won by Tim Kaine last year (52%-46%) and basically a tie between Ed Gillespie and Ralph Northam in 2017 (Gillespie barely edged out Northam, 50%-49%). Second, Reeves is facing a tough Democratic challenger in Amy Laufer, who among other things “served on the Charlottesville City School Board for seven years. She is the founder of Virginia’s List, an organization that supports Democratic women running for state office.” Also, note that Laufer had $337k cash on hand at the end of August, which was actually more than Reeves’ $321k cash on hand. Laufer also outraised Reeves in the latest fundraising period, $207k-$179k.

For all of those reasons, plus the fact that Donald Trump – the de facto face of Reeves’ Republican Party – is both deeply unpopular in Virginia and now facing impeachment for his crimes, one can certainly understand why Reeves might be worried at this point. Very worried.

For evidence that Reeves might be seriously wondering about his job security these days, check out the following audio of an interview with Reeves this morning on hard-right Trumpster radio (the “John Fredericks Show”). Also, see below that audio for a few “highlights,” using that word very loosely, of Reeves’ wildly false, hysterical claims about Amy Laufer and the Democrats. The question is whether Reeves actually believes the crap he spewed out this morning, or whether he’s just doing whatever he possibly can to rev up the far-right “base” for the November 5th election. Of course, given Reeves’ hard-right ratings (see Project Vote Smart and VAPLAN for the gory details) on the issues, perhaps he actually *does* believe his own unhinged-from-fact-and-reality ravings.

• Reeves implied, falsely, that the whole reason why Democrats are trying to win back the Virginia General Assembly this year is to “control redistricting so ultimately they can control Congress.” That’s false, or at least wildly overstated, for a couple big reasons: 1) Democrats are campaigning *against* gerrymandering, and last year voted overwhelmingly for a constitutional amendment for non-partisan redistricting; 2) Reeves’ own party has made partisan gerrymandering, including racial “packing,” a science and an art form, including here in Virginia. In fact, his party did this *so* egregiously that even the right-wing Supreme Court couldn’t stomach it, and struck it down.
• Clearly, Reeves has no self awareness, as he laughably claimed that Republicans are the party of “responsible government.” Seriously – the party that, every time they take power, blows up the deficit, threatens the fiscal stability and economic prosperity of the state (check out what Gov. Jim Gilmore did, and how Gov. Mark Warner had to pull us out of the ditch) and the nation (check out how Bill Clinton had us in peace, prosperity and a budget SURPLUS, while Bush/Cheney left Barack Obama a smoldering mess to clean up – which he and the Democrats did! -followed by Trump et al screwing it all up again).
• One of the only “real results” Reeves cites is that he helped to “get our concealed carry back…expand those rights of our Second Amendment.” Yay?
• Reeves, clearly lacking accomplishments of his own, then segued into the usual, Trump-style alternative reality, unhinged, fact-free tirade about how Democrats are supposedly the party of “infanticide” (in fact, not a single Virginia Democratic elected official or candidate supports such a horrible thing) and of a “super liberal leftist ideology” (in fact, on issue after issue, Democrats are in the majority or plurality).
• As is de rigeur among Republicans these days, of *course* Reeves compared Amy Laufer to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and of *course* mentioned the “devout socialist” Lee Carter, and of *course* mentioned George Soros, and of *course* ranted about “socialized medicine,” blah blah blah. All the usual right-wing media talking points. Oh, and did you know this is all a “master plan,” of which Laufer is just a “pawn in the big scheme of what the left is trying to do?” Yep, this truly is getting into Alex Jones, tinfoil-hat territory.
• According to Reeves, Laufer is “just like [Abigail] Spanberger” (as if that’s a *bad* thing, lol), in that she “ran as a moderate” but is “voting to impeach” and is actually “far left.” I mean, this is so shit-for-brains nonsensical, where does one even start? But first of all, voting to start an impeachment inquiry against a lawless, corrupt, treasonous, dangerous president has nothing to do with being “moderate” or “liberal” or “conservative” or whatever, it has to do with being patriotic, defending the rule of law and the constitution of the United States. What about that does Reeves not understand? Seems like all of it.
• Reeves bizarrely claimed that Trump is not anti-immigrant, but only “anti-illegal immigration right now.” Hahahahahaha. I mean, if you believe that one, I’ve got a nice bridge over the Rio Grande to sell you…
• Asked what the Republican Party of Virginia message is this year, Reeves whined that “we’re all kind of on our own,” “our party in the Commonwealth is not functioning at 100%, we’re on life support.” Gee, wonder why!
• Reeves concluded with a tirade about “this impeachment crap,” how Democrats are “trying to oust this president for the umpteenth time,” how “this is a joke,” and how “do I stand with the president? you betcha!” That really says it all right there; if you think impeachment is a “joke” and you “stand with the president,” then clearly you’re a Reeves voter. If not – the majority of the country does *not* agree with Reeves – you are definitely an Amy Laufer voter on November 5th.