Pro-privitazation Candidate Wins Virginia Special Election
June 25
In a race with national implications, Republican
State Representative Randy Forbes survived a massive media campaign attacking
his support for individual Social Security accounts to win a special election
for Congress from Virginia's 4th District. The election was held to fill the
seat of Representative Norman Sisisky, a Democrat who held the seat for nearly
20 years before his death in March.
Forbes supports proposals to allow younger workers to invest a portion of
their social security taxes in individual accounts, and Democrats poured money
into a series of television ads attacking his position. Among them was the
infamous "angina attack" ad that implied Social security privatization would lead
to heart attacks among seniors who wouldn't be able to stand the stress of stock
market fluctuations. Democratic strategists were blunt about using this race as a
test for anti-privatization tactics they plan to use in the 2002 congressional
elections.
But despite this concerted attack, Forbes emerged victorious. Moreover, he
did this in a District that was 40 percent African-American and where 50 percent
of voters were over the age of 55. "[The outcome] shows that senior citizens are
not going to buy into false claims about social security," Forbes noted.
Virginia's Fourth district is a swing district and considered something of a
national bellwether. George W. Bush carried it in 2000 by fewer than 500 votes,
but Bill Clinton carried the district twice. The failure of anti-privatization scare
tactics in this race should embolden pro-privatization candidates nationwide.
Polls consistently show that voters strongly support giving younger workers
the option to privately invest their Social security funds. A Zogby-Cato
poll, conducted early this year, found nearly 70 percent of voters supporting
privatization. However, despite the polls, politicians have been slow to campaign
on the issue. (A conspicuous exception was George W. Bush, who also overcame
a media blitz criticizing his privatization proposals). The Forbes victory should
be further proof that politicians can actively support individual accounts--and
win.
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