Pete Snyder, successful businessman and tech entrepreneur, is in a 7-way primary for the GOP nomination for Lieutenant Governor in Virginia. Lt. Gov candidates often have a challenge in breaking through to the public. Snyder, however, has made two unorthodox moves that are garnering him attention and showing a fighting spirit that give him a lift in the nomination. His latest move is a highly-effective ad against likely Democrat Governor candidate Terry McAuliffe.
Until recently, McAuliffe was Chairman of Green Tech, an auto company developing electric cars. McAuliffe has campaigned on his role as evidence that he knows how to create jobs in Virginia. Green Tech, however, selected Mississippi, instead of Virginia, as the home to its first manufacturing plant. Snyder’s ad hits this fact and wonders “what might have been” had the plant be sited in Virginia.
Snyder is not running against McAuliffe. The ad, however, allows him to break out of the pack of his other challengers, while also addressing an issue important to Virginians. It also shows a new-comer to politics willing to take the fight across the aisle.
Earlier this year, Snyder ran a radio ad attacking VA Dem Senate leader Sen. Richard Saslaw, the defacto head of the VA Democrat party. The ad elicited a sharp response from Salsaw, a name-ID-raising win for the rookie politician. In February, Snyder publicly courted Berreta to move its gun manufacturing operation from Maryland, which was on the cusp of passing stricter gun control laws, to Virginia, which decidedly is not about to adopt gun control.
These are smart moves by Snyder and display the kind of grit and tenacity the GOP needs to prevail. To fix the challenges facing our country, the GOP needs a new generation of leaders committed to fighting for our values and beliefs. Snyder looks to be one of these leaders.
Follow Mike Flynn on twitter: @Flynn1776
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