Dear Fellow Virginia Sportsmen and Dog Owners:

The interests of Virginia's hunting dog owners, their families and friends closely parallel those of many other citizens: fishermen, conservationists, wildlife lovers, farmers and pet owners. Organizations that attack sportsmen's enjoyment of their dogs and outdoor sports under the guise of "animal welfare" have a larger agenda; they wish to end or limit all hunting and fishing together with pet and livestock ownership.

The Virginia Hunting Dog Owners' Association (VHDOA) was formed specifically to counter these threats through education and informed political action. We actively lobby in the General Assembly and make a concerted effort to study those candidates seeking elected office. As the challenges to America's sporting traditions increase, it's vital that we elect leaders both capable and willing to meet the current and future tests.

There are an unusual number of open seat and competitive primary races this election year in Virginia. The GOP candidates for Lt. Governor and Attorney General are in very tight contests, as are the four Democrats running for Lt. Governor. In addition to selecting three of the major parties' candidates for statewide office, June 14, 2005 voting will decide many citizens' next Delegate. Also, the primaries, not the November general election, in numerous instances, will determine our next generation of leaders.

Rather than scheduling district or state nominating conventions, both the Democratic and Republican parties will hold state-monitored primaries on the same day in local precinct polling locations. Any registered Virginian may vote in either party primary (not both), regardless of past voting history. Voter registration deadline is May 15th and the details may be found here.

Our analysis indicates there are many more close GOP primary races than Democratic ones. November's election will determine the winners in a handful of districts, but many more June winners will get a free pass to the General Assembly, since they will have no general election opposition. In fact, 84 House races currently have only one party's candidate on the ballot in November. The two-party fall contests include fewer competitive races than do next month's primaries.

In addition to three open, single-party House seats, the June 14th primaries will decide multiple same-party challenges to sitting incumbents. This unusual occurrence stems from a small, anti-tax, socially fundamentalist group's displeasure with some GOP members' votes, including the one to break the 2004 state budget deadlock.

The Virginia Hunting Dog Owners' Association's grading of incumbent candidates is based on approximately 30 votes and other actions affecting sportsmen and dog owners over the 2002-2005 sessions. The most important of these votes are described on our website's current and archived state issue pages.

See http://vhdoa.uplandbirddog.com/05primar ... ments.html for endorsed sportsmen-supportive primary candidates.

Forwarding and cross posting encouraged.

Bob Kane, President
Virginia Hunting Dog Owners' Association
http://vhdoa.uplandbirddog.com/