Ken Cuccinelli

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli

In a “damn the unintended consequences of this“ moment, the Virginia Attorney General, transvaginalist and forced-birth advocate Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II completed his probe and will allow former Congressman Virgil Goode, a perennial contender in DC’s “Stupidest Congressman” polling, to retain his hard-won ballot position as a presidential candidate:

Former congressman Virgil Goode Jr. will remain on Virginia’s presidential ballot after state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II concluded an investigation into fraud allegations leveled at Goode by the state Republican Party.

Cuccinelli found, according to a news release from his office, that “while there may have been certain irregularities, nothing he examined would prevent Goode from being certified for the Virginia ballot in the upcoming November presidential election.”

This can only be construed as good news for John McCain.

The Virginia State Board of Elections ruled in early September that Goode had qualified for the ballot after he submitted more than 20,500 signatures to the board. State law requires candidates to submit a minimum of 10,000 valid signatures, including at least 400 from each of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts.

But the state Republican party filed a challenge to Goode’s submission, and party Chairman Pat Mullins contended that there were “systemic problems” among Goode’s signatures that showed a “stunning disregard” for state law. Goode called the allegations “ludicrous.”

While Cuccinelli found some problems, he concluded that “the candidate had enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot,” his office said, a conclusion that could disappoint his fellow Republicans.

The last five-way presidential poll in Virginia showed Obama at 48%, Green Party candidate Jill Stein at 1%, Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson at 4%, and Goode at 2%. Mitt Romney garnered only 40% in this poll; it seems his likely constituency in what could have been a two-way race peels away when other options are available.

Despite being a loon, Goode is well-remembered and -favored in Southwest Virginia, where many voters may not recognize the legitimacy of our current president but certainly don’t trust the Christian White House to a cult member. I’ve spend many months downstate, in Goode’s district while running statewide campaigns, and please take my word for it — this is not a progressive place.

Highlights of Virgil Goode’s career, which might cause Americans anywhere else to pause before voting for him, but which have endeared him to his constituents, include:

– His unsolicited opinions upon Keith Ellison’s swearing in:

Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr. (R-Va.) is coming under sharp criticism for lashing out against the decision by Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), who will become the first Muslim member of Congress next month, to use the Koran during a swearing-in ceremony.

In a recent letter to constituents, Goode, a five-term congressman from Rocky Mount, wrote that he does “not subscribe to using the Koran in any way” and added: “The Muslim Representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don’t wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration, there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran.”

– His opinion of Michelle Malkin’s co-anchor babies:

Amnesty is the magnet. Other magnets that you mentioned are anchor babies who get benefits in this country and employer deductions for employees, even if they are here illegally, which Mr. King is addressing.

– More on illegal immigration:

If the massive invasion is not stopped, we are going to be flooded to the extent that we will drift into third world status. For our children and for our grandchildren, we cannot fail on this issue.

–On “voter fraud“:

It is a sign of the times that the absence of meaningful ID requirements in many states leaves our voting process vulnerable to fraud and allows legal votes to be cancelled out by illegally cast ballots.

– On America’s top priorities during this jobs crisis:

The fact that the price of gasoline has declined some in recent weeks must not allow Americans to be lulled into a false sense of security. Energy independence must rank along with border security as the top priorities of the United States.

– On women’s rights and choice:

Not a woman’s right; remember the life of the child. (May 2012)
Zero funding for Planned Parenthood. (Apr 2012)
Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Jan 2007)
Voted NO on allowing human embryonic stem cell research. (May 2005)
Voted YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions. (Apr 2005)
Voted YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime. (Feb 2004)
Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life. (Oct 2003)
Voted YES on forbidding human cloning for reproduction & medical research. (Feb 2003)
Voted YES on funding for health providers who don’t provide abortion info. (Sep 2002)
Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad. (May 2001)
Voted YES on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes. (Apr 2001)
Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortions. (Apr 2000)
Voted YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion. (Jun 1999)
No federal funding of abortion, but no litmus test. (Dec 2000)
Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)
Rated 100% by the NRLC, indicating a pro-life stance. (Dec 2006)
Prohibit transporting minors across state lines for abortion. (Jan 2008)
Grant the pre-born equal protection under 14th Amendment. (Jan 2007)

While these views may be anathema to Firedoglake readers, believe me — this is mainstream in Southwest Virginia. Given the chance — and this was the state GOP’s last-ditch chance to keep Goode off the ballot, I believe — voters there will cast their ballots for Goode Ol’ Virgil.

Stay tuned!