The High and the Low of Special Election Day

Yesterday was Special Election Day for the 45th House of Delegates District here in Virginia. It was my honor to have been the Republican nominee in that election.

As different things came together at the last minute yesterday, I was able to be more mobile than anticipated throughout the day and was able to make it around to many of the polling places to thank the election workers, mostly in the southern half or two thirds of the district. To those whom I did not have the opportunity to visit, please know you have my thanks as well.

There were two especially memorable moments, both of which came before the polls closed, and both of which came while talking to women who supported my Democratic opponent.

PRESS RELEASE: Congressman Frank Wolf Endorsement

September 1, 2012

CONGRESSMAN FRANK WOLF ANNOUNCES SUPPORT OF REPUBLICAN DELEGATE CANDIDATE TIM MCGHEE

Tim McGhee today welcomed the support of Congressman Frank Wolf of the 10th District of Virginia who serves on the House Appropriations Committee and is the co-chairman of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.

If we can't afford iFile, can we afford an 'exchange'?

In January 2011, the Commonwealth of Virginia Department sent us letters stating "iFile will be replaced with a new program called Free File, based on the IRS Free File program." I wrote to Del. Englin in February 2011 asking if he knew why Virginia was "required to retire the Individual iFile return filing system."

He had a prompt response:

Last year, we began the General Assembly session faced with a $4 billion revenue shortfall, having already cut $7 billion in state spending over the past four years. That meant we were well beyond having to make merely difficult choices; we were faced with choices akin to deciding which limb to cut off.

Arlington Mercury Interview and Podcast

Election Tuesday After Labor Day for House 45th
The 45th seat in Virginia's House of Delegates is up for grabs, and the election is Tuesday Sept. 4, the day after Labor Day. Just five voting precincts, south and southwest of the Pentagon in Arlington, are part of the 45th District. That represents about 11,000 registered voters.

Podcast:

Family Law and Child Support Reform

There are many families in Northern Virginia today who face challenges and pressures. They could use a system that works on their behalf.

There are many people working hard in various levels and capacities supporting struggling families. For none of them is it their job to take a step back to look at the larger view of the system and see if it is working most effectively on behalf of those it is there to serve.

As I have been out talking to many people of varying backgrounds and status in society, these issues are widespread. These are some basic ways based on real-life stories in our community that we can use to get started on making the system work better on behalf of Virginia families:

Just because we can does not mean we should

From the New York Times' The Caucus Blog:
Data Storage Could Expand Reach of Surveillance

John Villasenor, an electrical engineer at the University of California, Los Angeles, studied the plummeting cost of computer data storage and reached an astonishing conclusion: It will soon be technically feasible and affordable to record and store everything that can be recorded about what everyone in a country says or does.

Immigration

The imbalance between our immigration laws and how they are currently at work should be corrected, and we have several options for correcting this.

We have “the system,” that is, everything for which we pay taxes. We have everyone getting something out of the system, and not everyone paying something into it. This is injustice.

Promoting Small Business

Small business innovators are the growth engine of America, and excessive government regulation is the hole in their gas tanks. Virginia must continue to stand with its small business owners to ensure a prosperous economy and to continue Virginia's leadership under Governor Bob McDonnell as a top state for business.

Gas Prices

Few issues have more practical impact on our daily lives than gas prices. As the world develops, the demand on the supply of energy is expected to increase. We cannot expect the situation to fix itself.

"Wall Street speculators" are frequently blamed for the rising cost of fuel. While they play a role in our access to a supply of energy, that is only half the story.

From a Grateful People

I got an email tonight from one of my supporters during last year's campaign. She was glad to hear about this campaign.

She and I had an extended visit last year during which I heard a first hand account of what America has meant to Vietnam.

Transportation Plan

There is universal agreement among voters and candidates alike that transportation is a perennial issue in Northern Virginia. Less universal is agreement on how to address these issues.

I offer some suggestions and express my intent to work towards accomplishing improvements to our transportation infrastructure, our economy, and our future.

A question from before this campaign began

Even without being a declared candidate in this race, as recently as the Chirilagua Festival this year, it seems the first go-to question on the minds of those in the other party is about the ultrasound bill.

A reporter called today about a range of issues, including controversies like that from the recent General Assembly session this year. I shared with him my thoughts on some of those issues, and I share those with you here.

45th District Precincts

The 45th District includes the following polling places in Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax County. Below is a list of all the voting precincts that are at least partially in the 45th House District.

If you see your neighborhood or polling place listed below, you may be in the 45th House District. If so, please check the large map and confirm if your residence is inside the boundaries.

Tim McGhee Announces Candidacy for 45th District House of Delegates Seat

For Immediate Release
August 2, 2012

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA – Tim McGhee issued the following statement today.

“Virginia has weathered the challenges of the recession better than most states, thanks to the leadership of Governor Bob McDonnell and others. Serious fiscal challenges lie ahead at all levels of the government. We must continue to work for justice and fiscal responsibility. That is why I am standing for election to the Virginia House of Delegates: to address these needs in two specific ways.”

Questions with Tim McGhee

Who is Tim McGhee?

Tim is a small business owner and active citizen in Alexandria. He is committed to building up the next generation and doing what he can to ensure its future. He is an active volunteer at his church in Arlington.


Why is Tim standing for election?

Tim is standing for election to the Virginia House of Delegates to stand for justice and fiscal responsibility in Virginia on behalf of the people of the 45th House District. His priorities are to protect patient care and prevent a data-driven bureaucracy from intruding into the doctor-patient relationship, and to ensure that the Code of Virginia supports families and those that need rebuilding.


Why is this important?

While to many people the principles and debates may sometimes sound as exciting as a class on economics, the life-changing realities of our public policies have a daily impact on the people of the 45th House District of Virginia. Tim believes we must ensure that our policies remain true to our fundamental principles of freedom and justice.

Tim McGhee Background

Tim McGhee, 35, was born in Chicago, Illinois.  He graduated from Seminole High School in Sanford, Florida, in 1995.  Tim graduated from Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee, in 1999 with an honors degree in Mathematics with a Computer Science emphasis.  He is a resident of Alexandria on the north end of Old Town.