The bitterness of recent campaigns hasn’t stopped the flow of negative campaigning, but the public reaction to the political divisiveness that has characterized a new political party — the Tea Party. Their positions aren’t very sexy to a national media that likes either-or situations like National League versus American League, left versus right, evil and/or good versus good and/or evil.
That said, Tea Party members don’t appear to really care about what the national or local media thinks about them. Sarah Palin, John McCain’s running mate in his unsuccessful race for president against President Barack Obama in 2008, doesn’t seem to care about what her candidacy might mean to a national campaign. Although he’s running as the Republican candidate in Virginia’s 38th Senatorial District, Adam Light is the Tea Party guy in Virginia’s 38th Senatorial District race.
In his opening statement to the Bluefield Daily Telegraph editorial board, Light, 41, a Buchanan County native who now lives in Pounding Mill, Tazewell County, Va., Light said he wanted to focus on the three fundamental aspects of his campaign, jobs, education and taxes.
“What we do best in Southwest Virginia is mine coal, drill for gas and cut timber. We use our natural resources,” Light said. After saying he thinks the jobs of the future are there, Light shifted the content of his opening statement to explain that the region needs to put an emphasis on vocational education.
“We shouldn’t train everyone to go to college,” he said. “That way, you have kids that are going to college and a bunch of square pegs left over that can’t fit into a round hole. I was one of those square pegs, but I was fortunate because I have vocational education so I could get a job.”
Light graduated from Richlands High School in 1988, and earned a certificate in electronic technology along the way. He won a state championship in the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America job skills demonstration competition and, after marrying his wife Jennifer, worked several jobs including warehouseman and vacuum cleaner salesman in the Tri-Cities area. The family returned to Richlands, and Light got a job as a rodman on an underground survey crew.
Some of Light’s campaign billboards, direct mailing items and radio spots appear to link his opponent with President Obama who didn’t make many friends in the coalfields with his positions on coal mining. In response to a question about advertising linking his opponent with the president, Light said: “It’s negative only if you supported (Obama). Did you campaign for him? Did you donate to his campaign? I wouldn’t want to be tied to him.”
Light said that the present boom in the coal mining industry is unprecedented, “but I think the demand for energy will increase,” he said. “I don’t see it bottoming out.” He said that schools in the region should work to prepare students with technical skills they need to be successful in the energy-related jobs.
“A lot of young men who come out of high school and don’t go to college feel lost,” Light said. “They get caught up in drugs and it limits their futures. We need to reach these kids before they finish high school and get them in a vocational education program and work with some of these coal companies to get them into an apprentice program. If we’re all doctors and lawyers, who’s going to build houses, run the wiring and install the plumbing?”
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