LeMunyon, GOP, Set Sights on Caputo

Virginia Republicans are gearing up to challenge Del. C. Charles Caputo (D) next year, saying his Fairfax County district represents one of their best pickup opportunities in Northern Virginia.

Jim LeMunyon, a Chantilly businessman, was making the rounds at the state GOP convention touting his plans to run against Caputo. LeMunyon, who served as Assistant Commerce Secretary under former President Bush in the early 1990s, was passing out pamphlets noting that Caputo won his 2007 race against Republican Marc Cadin by just 6 percentage points.

He also noted that U.S. Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va) won Caputo's 67th House District in 2006, and former senator George Allen received about 46 percent of the vote that year, despite his poor showing in the rest of Fairfax County.

"With a new president to be inaugurated in January, the 2009 Virginia election provides an opportunity for voters to take a fresh look at issues, party affiliations, and candidate qualifications," LeMunyon said. "Prospects for a qualified GOP candidate should only improve from the lows of 2006-2007."

LeMunyon, who is unsure if another Republican will also enter the race, plans to campaign on reigning in state spending, investing in transportation, barring illegal immigrants from receiving in-state tuition rates and allowing parents to choose what local public schools their child attends.