Independent says he would run if Hurt on ballot in 5th District

The possibility exists of a three-way race next fall in the 5th District congressional election if state Sen. Robert Hurt is the Republican nominee, according to Jeff Clark, an independent candidate in Danville.

Clark, who announced his intention to run late last year, said he has collected more than the 1,000 signatures on petitions that are necessary to qualify for a spot on the November ballot along with Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello, who will be seeking his second term.

But, Clark said, he would run next fall only if Hurt wins the June 8 Republican primary, which has seven candidates on the ballot, he said.

If one of the other six candidates wins the GOP nomination to oppose Perriello, Clark said, he has pledged that he would not oppose them in November. All are portraying themselves as more conservative than Hurt as they jockey for position entering the primary’s final month.

“Obviously this is an unfortunate development for the GOP,” said Isaac Wood, who follows 5th District issues at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics.

“The best-case scenario for beating Perriello is to nominate a candidate with total Republican support and adequate funding, and the ability to reach out to moderates as well,” Wood said.

Clark’s candidacy could divide the district’s conservative voters, or push Hurt into running further to the right and possibly undermine his appeal to middle-of-the-spectrum voters, Wood said.

Clark, who runs a residential water-testing business in Danville, said he is “fundamentally opposed to Sen. Robert Hurt.”

“I feel that he is an establishment Republican. I would describe him as a situational conservative,” Clark said.

Clark said he thinks Hurt represents Republican Party philosophy that “doesn’t suit the mood of the country and doesn’t lead to substantial change.”

“Returning power to the Republicans, after they have contributed to messing everything up in the first place, is ludicrous,” Clark said.

Clark has not raised any money for his campaign, according to the Federal Elections Commission’s March 31 report.

Hurt, on the other hand, is listed by the FEC with almost $400,000 in campaign receipts from several hundred donors, including some political action committees.

“I can’t speak to Mr. Clark’s campaign strategy,” Hurt said, “But I am proud of my proven conservative record of fighting against tax increases and eliminating taxes and eliminating wasteful government spending.”

Hurt cited his opposition to a gas-tax increase proposed in the Virginia Senate in 2007, an income-tax increase that was proposed this year, and his support that helped end the estate tax in Virginia.

Hurt’s opponents often refer to his 2004 vote for a $1.4 billion tax increase under then-Gov. Mark Warner, which helped end a budget stalemate in the General Assembly. Hurt has since said he regrets the vote, and has signed the no-tax pledge of Americans for Tax Reform.

The possibility of a three-way race in November is good American politics, Hurt said.

“I don’t know what the ultimate effect will be in terms of the number of candidates in the race, but I do believe this: My message, with my experience, my track record, will resonate with voters and we will defeat Tom Perriello in the fall,” Hurt said.