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Politics & Government

U.S. Senate Candidate Jamie Radtke Talks to Patch, Part 1

Tea party activist airs her views on energy, immigration, health care and more

In a wide-ranging interview Friday, U.S. senatorial candidate and tea party member Jamie Radtke discussed her views on everything from energy issues and healthcare to gay marriage and abortion. The interview took place at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.

On Dec. 28, Radtke announced she was running for the Republican nomination for the Senate seat currently occupied by Sen. Jim Webb, who has announced his retirement from the U.S. Senate.

Up until then, Radtke, who lives near Richmond in Chesterfield County, was best known for co-founding and chairing the Virginia Federation of Tea Party Patriots. She organized a tea party convention that attracted nearly 3,000 participants to Richmond.

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In the interview, which will be presented in several parts this week, the home-schooling mom of three (Abigail, 8, Sarah, 7, and Luke, 4) talks about:

  • the GOP primary and how she plans to win it
  • federal debt and spending
  • social issues
  • energy, immigration, and healthcare
  • President Barack Obama’s leadership 
  • political role models

Radtke, who grew up in a military family (her father was an F-4 pilot in the Air Force) is a graduate of Liberty University, with a bachelor of science degree in government. She earned a master of public policy degree from William & Mary in 1998.

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So far, Radtke is up against former Sen. George Allen, who is a former governor of the state, and David McCormick, an attorney from Virginia Beach, in the Republican primary. Voters will choose a Republican nominee for the race in a primary vote in June 2012.

Watch the above video to hear Radtke discuss her decision to enter the race and what it will take to defeat Allen, the prohibitive favorite.

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