by Cindy
While Virginia Beach attorney and gun shop owner Tim Anderson is probably best known for suing Senator Mamie Locke and Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn over keeping the Pocahontas Building closed to the public during the pandemic, suing Speaker Filler-Corn for denying a FOIA request, and trying to recall Majority Leader Dick Saslaw over his assault weapon ban bill, recall Senator Louise Lucas (and being sued for defamation by her) over the summer incidents around the Confederate statue, he’s also now running for the House of Delegates in the 83rd district, against freshman Democrat Nancy Guy.
Although, as he’s told his own supporters, “you would not want to vote for me.”
He’s got some … er, interesting positions. Most notable is that on his website, he calls himself “pro-life” and then does a very interesting tightrope walk focusing entirely on third trimester abortions (incredibly rare as we all know), which might not make sense until you compare it to what he said on Facebook in December 2019: “I believe abortion is a fundamental right that a woman has but that right should be limited to a period of time in the early phases of pregnancy.”
He also interestingly says on his website that “gun owners across Virginia overwhelmingly stand with Tim Anderson as the 2A candidate.” In 2019 he said that “I believe that the gun laws are not perfect and they can be improved. However those laws do not have to result in any criminalization of lawful gun owners.” Which is a far more moderate position than that taken by the Virginia GOP House Caucus, which voted against every single reasonable gun violence prevention bill for years, and adjourned a 2019 special session designed to address gun violence prevention in less than an hour without taking any action.
Not mentioned on his website are other interesting positions he spoke of in that 2019 Facebook post. He supports free college for those who cannot afford to pay (“I believe college should be free to those who cannot afford it. If you are going to college and the government is paying for it then you should have to work in public service for a number of years to pay back the government.” Sounds a lot like Governor Northam’s G3 plan!). He supports a public health insurance option (“I believe we should have a private party health insurance network but if you are unable to afford The premium then you should be allowed to buy into a national healthcare program through the government.“).
He supports DACA, but also tightening the borders. He says “the government at the federal and state level has completely and totally neglected the mental health crisis.” And thinks “the United States over criminalizes its population,” and that “the War on drugs is a complete and total failure. Arresting and Jailing individuals with drug problems is not the answer. Interdicting and treating these individuals is how to have a productive society.”
Currently there are two people running for the Republican nomination, Anderson and Phil Kazmierczak, a gay, Trump-supporting realtor from Virginia Beach. (Recall that the Virginia GOP recently censured, and ultimately ousted Republican Congressman Denver Riggleman just for officiating a gay wedding.) This should be a fun and interesting primary to watch, with neither candidate quite fitting into the mold of the Virginia GOP. I wouldn’t be surprised for this to turn very nasty–which will help Democrat Nancy Guy win re-election easily!
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