GOP candidate Chuck Smith says ‘our country is heading in the wrong direction’

Chuck Smith of Virginia Beach is the Republican nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives in Virginia’s Third Congressional District.  Like Libertarian James Quigley, he is seeking to unseat Democrat Bobby Scott, who was first elected to Congress in 1992.

Smith was at the Virginia Tea Party Patriots Convention in Richmond on October 9 to participate in a candidates’ forum.  He spoke to the Charlottesville Libertarian Examiner about the Tea Party movement, whether the GOP should reach out to libertarians, and what he’s hearing from voters as he campaigns through the district.

‘Wonderful movement’

The Tea Party phenomenon, Smith said, is “a wonderful movement.  I think it represents the moms, pops, sons, daughters, uncles, aunts of America.  They’re energized -- and energized for a good reason, that America’s going in the wrong direction.”

That, he said, is “the type of energy I think this country needs right now.”

Asked what signal might be inferred by the absence of Congressman Scott from that morning’s forum for candidates, Smith said that “it’s the same signal he’s been sending all along.”  After 18 years in Congress, Smith said, Scott acts like “he doesn’t need the people, he doesn’t need to answer to the people, he doesn’t need to appear at forums.”

What does Scott “have to gain by answering to the people?,” Smith asked rhetorically.  “He’s taking the attitude that he doesn’t need to come.”

Libertarian outreach

Asked how he plans to earn the votes of libertarian-minded voters in his district with LP candidate James Quigley in the race, Smith said, “Let’s face it.  I really do not have but one opponent and that’s Bobby Scott.”

Smith continued:  “Our ultimate objective is to reach out to Americans and my goal will be, in addition to reaching out to Republicans, in addition to reaching out to Democrats, is also to reach out to those Libertarians and those independents to tell them that we have the message that resonates with them as well.”

That message, he said, is that “we see our country heading in the wrong direction.”

In terms of bringing libertarians into the Republican Party, Smith said, “I tell you what I’ve told people all along.  It’s not a mission of mine to make Democrats Republicans.  By the same token, the mission is not to make libertarians Republicans.”

If, however, Libertarians and Republicans “can agree on some of the issues,” he pointed out, “then we should go forward with that.”

7:01 p.m. on November 2

Returning to his core message, Smith went on to say, “There are some things that the Libertarian Party and the Republican Party agree on.  But you know something? I think there are some things that Americans should agree on right now.  One of those things right now is to make sure that Bobby Scott is not in office at 7:01 [p.m.] on November 2.  That’s what we should be in agreement on.”

While claiming he is getting a “tremendous reception” among voters he meets in the district, Smith conceded, “I would be less than candid if I told you that everywhere we go -- inside of many of the communities -- everyone is saying, ‘Hey, I want you to get in office.’”

Instead, he noted, “some people are quite frankly saying (many of these are African-Americans, if not all) [that] ‘Bobby Scott has been in office for 18 years and we don’t think he’s done anything wrong.  America’s just peachy.’”

Smith said he has asked these voters to “take a serious look” at what they are saying.

“Take a serious look at your communities.  Go downtown and look at some of the stores.  Look at the people who have lost their jobs, people who have lost their fortunes, people who are losing their homes.”

The incumbent, he suggested, is not helping the communities of the Third District.

“ Eighteen years in office [for Bobby Scott] really is a homestead,” Smith concluded.  “We have no place for that under the constitution.”

Find the original article and others like it at

www.examiner.com/libertarian-in-charlottesville/richard-sincere