Every Race These Days Seem To Have A Candidate That Only Splits The Vote
Philip Strother runs as a Conservative but is he? OPINION
I have written about the problem of candidates reciting litanies of conservative talking points to get elected. Our Party suffers greatly from our unwillingness to separate personalities from principles and weigh claims against a candidate’s record. When someone runs for office and claims they’ll be this or that or a “fighter” and do not have a legislative history, it is necessary to weigh those claims by their business, personal lives, social media interaction, religious views, etc. We all see the country is on the verge of ruin, we all see how Congress works against us, and we refuse to see who is responsible. Us.
I first heard Strother speak at the American Legion Hall forum the local Tea Party unit provided. Like Craig, he was quick to point out he is a lawyer. He also mentioned he had worked to get a bill passed that helped farming- as I understood him, a bill to help his type of farming- a winery. I do not believe we need more lawyers in Congress or the State House. Lawyers crafted much of the flawed legislation and regulation from which we suffer. Lawyers make their living in politics by often making legislation that makes them middlemen between us and our rights protected by the Constitution and founding Documents. It is lawyers driving the agenda to frame these documents as “living documents” subject to the political whims of the age instead of the fixed and objective principles the Founders intended. Principles laid out in plain language meant for ordinary men and women to understand without surrendering interpretation to word-smiths.
So what does Phillip Strother believe, and where can I see his claims in his life? In this day and age, social media fills that gap, so I looked at his Facebook profile. Does he comment on the cultural issues of the day? Does he support or rail for or against political figures that are involved in the significant issues of this time? I checked. His account is as swept free of controversy as any I have seen—the only thing there are innocuous pics of his family and winery. One has to ask- why would a man want to run for office as a leader but never comment on the very issues that he would face and legislate for or against? Why does it seem his social media account- the only real interaction with the public to convey his views seem sanitized? Is he who he claims? My experience tells me he isn't.
I’ve done some digging and am not the only one with concerns. Other conservatives say he is a moderate- a “Rino” and despises MAGA and the Tea Party. I have heard claims he has said he supports 'women’s health initiatives- code for what I understand to be pro-abortion. I looked for evidence of these claims one way or the other on his social media account, and I could not find any historical commentary to support or deny them. That seems odd to me.
When I see someone claiming to be conservative, a claim I find to be rooted in one’s worldview concerning objective truth, and their willingness to express that truth without reservation in defense of our society, I expect them to speak to it even if it means it may affect them or their business or even chances at getting elected. If one’s beliefs are not worth sacrificing comfort or material success, they aren’t worth spit to me.
Strother has offered to meet with me in private. I haven’t taken him up on it because what I need to see from him is not word-smithing where there are no witnesses- I am not looking for a consultation from counsel; I am looking for leadership willing to sacrifice and take the hits the rest of us are. Just as I do- just as you do. A squeaky-clean social media account says he isn’t a leader or that he is willing to take risks for the conservative agenda to me. Donald Trump has a winery business, and his social media account is full of risk-taking comments on today's issues. He is getting persecuted for exercising a God-given right of free speech that I can find no evidence of a willingness to do by Phillip Strother.
The only claim he made at the American Legion Hall I could connect with was his reference to a farming bill. The bill I remember for the wine industry is HB1837, and basically, it is a tax loophole for the wine business crafted by Tom Garrett. Garrett has entered into all this by endorsing the other lawyer- Graven Craig. Garrett left the Legislature over issues concerning alcoholism and ethics violations. I remember this legislation because former Delegate Chris Peace supported it for his start-up winery, which he sold after losing his seat to Scott Wyatt.
This interests me as Strother and Peace are said to be friends and members of the exclusive Commonwealth Club in Richmond. The wine business is generally not an industry built around the average Joe; it appeals to an elite crowd. If I add this up with the scuttlebutt regarding Strother’s alleged hate for MAGA and the Tea Party, his sympathy with the so-called pro-choice crowd, it seems to mesh. This forms the basis for my suspicion he is hiding who he is. A guy that wants in and is willing to bend the facts in his favor. Or, at the least, allow people to draw assumptions with only on campaign claims to go on. IMO, this borders on the lie of omission. Another lawyer, like Graven Craig, who represents the interests of his most important client- himself.
It is mostly opinion for sure- what is yours? That said, are you willing to roll the dice for an untried fellow who doesn’t publicly comment on the difficult topics outside of campaign platitudes over a proven legislator, Buddy Fowler, who wrestles with them daily on record, doesn’t shy from his positions, and has the overwhelming support from elected conservatives and organizations? I am not, not in this political environment. Doing so strikes me as reckless.
My verdict is this- Phillip Strother is likely a fine family man and decent as a businessman, but that just isn’t enough to convince me he is a leader. I need an aggressive culture warrior, not a gentleman farmer. Fowler is far closer to that than Strother or Craig, and Fowler’s list of endorsements from the Family Foundation to Governor Younkin says more than photos of a winery- nice that it may be. He has no path to victory in this so my advice is don’t waste your vote.
I endorse Buddy Fowler and will vote for him. I ask you to do the same.
Five and Dime and the Hanover Conservative Caucus Blog is an opinion blog. I employ satire, commentary, and fact to entertain and convey my opinions on religious, cultural, and political issues. I expect you to know the difference. Thanks for reading. Please subscribe.
Endorsements earned by Buddy Fowler:
-Governor Glenn Youngkin -Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears
-Attorney General Jason Miyares -National Rifle Association
-Virginia Citizens Defense League -Senator Siobhan Dunnavant
-Delegate Michael Webert
-Delegate Scott Wyatt
-Senate Candidate and current Delegate John McGuire
-Hanover County South Anna District Supervisor Susan Dibble
-Hanover County Sheriff Dave Hines
-Hanover Clerk of the Circuit Court Frank D Hargrove Jr -Hanover Commissioner of the Revenue T. Scott Harris
-Louis County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rusty McGuire
-American Conservative Union Foundation
-American Veterans Vote -Gaydonna Vandergriff
-Virginia Society for Human Life
-Virginia Manufacturers Association 2021 Legislator of the Year