My Votes in the First District   I know you've been waiting breathlessly to hear how I'll be voting in November. The suspense  is over at last.   In this next-to-last column before the election show time, I endorse the Republican candidates in Virginia and the Marriage Amendment. I know - what a shock.  Perhaps my reasons might influence a fence sitter, if there are any left.   But, first let me say that I won’t be suicidal if we Republicans lose the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives or Senate. The only conservative Republican in trouble, to my knowledge, is Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa. His loss will be significant. And it’s a significant comment on the declining political wisdom of our Northern neighbors.   I care, deeply, about Conservative Republicans. Not country club Republicans. Not big business, illegal- immigration Republicans. Not tax-and-spend Republicans pursuing power without principles. Frankly, those Republicans, who are Republicans of convenience and for election only, are just the lesser of two evils. The lesser of two evils is still an evil. Still, voting for a Democrat – given the dangerous politics of the Party leadership – is worse.   Thank goodness our election choices on The Peninsula are clear and simple.   Sen. George Allen. This man has lived up to "promises made, promises kept." He did so as delegate, congressman, governor and U.S. senator. George Allen is a reliable, trustworthy conservative vote in the Senate. The War in Iraq. Sen. Allen will listen to the Generals on the ground. They will say when the Iraqis can provide their own security and stability so Americans can withdraw. Pulling out on a timetable is the worst possible mistake – and the Democrat "solution." Taxes. Sen. Allen supported the Bush tax cuts, which included child exemptions and marriage advantages worth $2,000 to the average Virginia family. Jim Webb said we don’t have enough revenues. Not enough money in the Federal Government? How much more will Webb raise your taxes? Judges. Sen. Allen supports better, strict constructionist judges. He works to end judicial tyranny – judges seizing legislative and executive powers from the bench. Pro-Marriage and Family. Sen. Allen supports the Marriage Amendment for Virginia. Jim Webb is against protecting marriage to preserve the best family for children. Illegal Immigration. Sen. Allen is a leader in stopping illegal immigration first. Completely. Then sort out what to do with the illegals in our country. James Webb. I’m so disappointed in Webb. I love his writing, respect his personal courage, and admire some goals he claims. But, he has proven to be more hot-head than resolute. He begs for money from the Clintons whom he rightfully criticized as lacking morality. He allows shamefully untruthful attack ads to go out in his name. Webb should know more of honor than to run such a dishonorable campaign. I’m really ashamed for him.   Rep. Jo Ann Davis. Jo Ann is a conservative political ally of Sen. Allen’s, so her positions are closely aligned. Allen could ask Davis for advice on how to be consistently, courageously conservative. Furthermore, all elected officials could learn a lot about the spectacular constituent service Rep. Davis provides to one and all in her district. Finally, others, including the President, could learn from her discernment to know that Sec. Rumsfeld is bad for defense, yet hold her loyalty to our serving soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coasties.   Marriage Amendment. Opponents of "one man, one woman" marriage, who are stealth proponents of homosexual marriage, made the same hysterical claims against Virginia’s 2004 Defense of Marriage Law. Nothing bad happened. No one’s rights were hurt. This Amendment protects the law against a future activist judge. The Marriage Amendment protects the best interests of children. Children need a mother and a father – not two mothers, two fathers, one father and four mothers, one father and forty mothers, group parents or incestuous parents. Destroying traditional marriage opens Pandora’s Box to anything becoming "marriage."   Also, the opponents are quick to label defenders of marriage bigots, homophobes, and worse for believing in the Biblical standard of Virginia’s traditional Judeo-Christian marriage. Liberals are intolerant of Christian dissent. Liberal bile against Virginia’s values voters is the overflow of their hearts. So, an immigrant, married and father of two, got fired in Harrisonburg for writing, “Vote for Marriage on Nov 7th” on his truck window. Because someone complained that they were "offended", he was fired. (See my post on the Bacon's Rebellion blog.) Stop that prejudice’s advance at the polls. Vote Yes!   Please get out the conservative vote on November 7th. Turn out counts – always.   If by some chance the movie, "Facing the Giants", is still in the theaters when you read this, I urge you to go see it. It’s a powerful movie about a losing coach and his football team. Take true stories like "Rudy", "Seabiscuit", "Hoosiers", and "Cinderella Man" and add the everyday faith of Evangelical Christians. This is the movie that pagans in Hollywood gave a PG-13 rating because it is “too Christian.” Christians should see that such a movie can be on the big screen. Non-Christians can see what real faith is really like for today’s Evangelical American Christians.   -- October 23, 2006