A number of potential challengers for Tom Perriello's seat have come forward or are encouraging discussion.

Laurence P. Verga is a real estate investor who moved to the area from Pebble Beach, California five years ago. He announced yesterday that he has formally filed with the FEC. He has never run for public office before, and says he bases his desire to run on opposition to the Obama administration, particularly what he sees as "runaway" spending which engenders "irresponsible debt." In a recent interview, Verga said “Obama doesn’t want to improve the economy. He wants to keep it like it is so he can expand the federal government.”

He advocates advancing toward energy independence through development of traditional sources--"drill now and drill here." All social benefits will be achieved through lower taxes. Life begins at conception. And he will defend our second amendment rights. He has been quoted as saying, “I’m very, very conservative, I’m not trying to be middle-of-the-road at all.”

Federal Election Commission records show donations by Verga and his wife of about $9,000 to the RNC and Republican candidates in the past six years. He is married, and has four young children. Verga suffers from polycystic kidney disease, and is awaiting a kidney transplant.

(Dave Sagarin, September 4, 2009)