Arin Sime Takes to the Airwaves

Arin Sime, the Libertarian candidate for the Virginia State Senate in the 24th District (his opponents are incumbent Republican Emmett Hanger and Democratic challenger David Cox, who is running a tepid campaign), has released a campaign commercial that will run on local TV stations during the last week of the election campaign -- which is fast approaching.

The 29-second commercial hits all the major themes that have animated Sime's campaign, which began well over a year ago and has been taken throughout the sprawling district. This may be the first time in the history of Virginia electoral politics that a Libertarian candidate has aired a television ad, which is itself a credit to both Sime's ingenuity and his fundraising prowess.

Here's the ad, which has been posted to YouTube in advance of its broadcast debut:

A news release from the Sime campaign notes:

Those appearing in the commercial are:

Property Taxes: Tina and John Munchmeyer are homeowners in Crozet who express their displeasure with drastically rising property taxes.

Second Amendment: Skip Plitt and his son Austin are Albemarle County residents, as well as avid hunters and 2nd Amendment enthusiasts.

Educational Choice: Silvia Barrett is a homeschooling mom from the Earlysville area who is active in the homeschool movement.

Property Rights: Gerard Labrecque and his family live in Staunton, and were threatened with eminent domain in 2006 on a property he is renovating.

Family Farms: Sue and Guy Freesen own a farm in Staunton and regularly sell their meat at area farmer’s markets around the 24th District. They are also active in organizations seeking to remove excessive regulations on family farms.

In the final scene, Mr. Sime is filmed at the Ashton Country House in Staunton, which is a recently re-opened Bed & Breakfast owned by his father-in-law Dick Chamberlain.

With fewer than 30 days left in the campaign for control of the Virginia General Assembly -- most pundits seem to agree that a Democratic takeover of the state Senate, if not the House of Delegates, is within reach -- you can be sure that the race in the 24th District will become more heated. It's nice that Arin Sime's advertising budget allows for light as well as heat.