Five months ago Virginia Del. Bob Marshall made a late entry into the Republican field for the 2012 U.S. Senate nomination. On Tuesday, Marshall hopes to be the one emerging from a four-person race to take on Democratic nominee Tim Kaine. Marshall says he brings a solid 20-year record from the state legislature – a record of leadership and independence. Marshall touts his sponsorship of the legislation that would shield Virginians from the individual mandate inside the president’s health care plan. He also proudly notes his bill fighting against the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provision that allows for indefinite detention of American citizens if they are deemed a national security threat. Marshall also describes himself as a thorn in the side of his own party, being punished by his own leadership team for refusing to back a rule that would keep subcommittee business out of the public record. When it comes to his GOP competition, Marshall says he has a consistently conservative record, has successfully locked horns with Kaine in the past and is not vulnerable to attack on spending and debt issues like frontrunner and former Sen. George Allen. Virginia’s primary is on Tuesday. There is no registration by party affiliation in the Old Dominion, so all voters may participate.
