ACG National Capital
The National Capital Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth has had the privilege to host some incredibly distinguished speakers and guests in past, from Andy Card to Carly Fiorina. That tradition continues when George Allen, the former governor of Virginia and a current Republican U.S. Senate candidate, addresses the membership at the September monthly meeting.
Mr. Allen is a self-described “Common Sense Jeffersonian Conservative” that has had the distinction of holding Thomas Jefferson’s seat in the Virginia General Assembly. He was sworn in as Governor in 1994, and set about to bring sweeping reform that many claim made Virginia a national model in economic development, public safety, education accountability, welfare reform, and creative government.
Mr. Allen was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000. During his time in office, he’s credited with advocating for the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts that spurred opportunities for more job creation and worked to create the Competitive Caucus to, “keep America the world capital of innovation.”
Mr. Allen is currently running against Tim Kaine for the Senate seat that will be opened up by the announced retirement of Jim Webb at the end of his term. Mr. Kaine was the 70th Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011.
This is an interesting race for both the impact it could have on politics both in Virginia and across the nation, as well as its closeness. Both the Republican and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committees have implied that this race, coupled with the race in Massachusetts, could impact which political party controls the Senate, which puts added importance on a Senate race that is neck and neck.
According to Real Clear Politics, the race between Mr. Kaine and Mr. Allen is classified as a, “toss up,” with Mr. Kaine leading the race by half of a point at the time of publication. The Washington Post is reporting that the race could come down to “ticket splitters,” or individuals that vote for the presidential candidate for one party, and the senatorial candidate from the other.
It’s difficult to determine which candidate local businesses support, but if Chamber of Commerce support is an indication, Mr. Allen would be the favored candidate. He has already received the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. However, the Virginia Chamber of Commerce has elected to remain neutral.
Mr. Allen’s appearance before the ACG membership will occur just one day following a debate with Mr. Kaine being hosted by the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce. This is a great opportunity for ACG members and other members of the national capital region’s business community to hear Mr. Allen provide details about his campaign, platform and reaction to the previous night’s debate. It’s also an opportunity to learn more about one of the candidates in what is shaping up to be one of the closest and most important races in the nation.
The September monthly meeting will be held on September 21, 2012, from 7:30AM to 9AM at the Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner. For additional information, or to register to attend, visit the ACG Website.