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From The Roanoke Times

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The way R. Scott Sayre sees it, his effort to defeat state Sen. Emmett Hanger amounts to "a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party."

And Hanger, R-Augusta County, acknowledges that he has a tough fight on his hands as he tries to hold on to a seat he has held for 12 years.

The Republican primary in the 24th Senate District may be one of the most competitive intraparty contests decided in Virginia on June 12. Sayre, a businessman from Rockbridge County, is mounting an aggressive challenge to Hanger, the affable incumbent who has fallen out of favor with some GOP activists in the sprawling, rural district.

"They've been sniping at me for quite some time," Hanger said last week.

The sniping dates to 2004, when Hanger joined with a bipartisan Senate majority to back legislation that increased taxes by $1.4 billion over two years. It escalated over the past two years as Hanger sponsored legislation that would prohibit state colleges from offering in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, but allow exceptions for students who meet specific criteria.

Hanger has defended his stands on both issues and accused critics of twisting his positions. Sayre said Hanger has lost touch with his district and "the Republican creed."

Sayre, 48, is counting on the party's conservative base to rally to his cause. Seven county and city GOP committee chairmen in the district are supporting Sayre, including the chairman in Hanger's home county.

Hanger, 58, said he is reaching out to independents and Democrats who have supported him in general elections. A small turnout in the open primary could hurt his re-election chances, Hanger acknowledged.

"There would be the probability that I could be defeated by people who are just upset with things in general," he said.

The GOP nominee will face Democratic nominee David Cox and Libertarian Arin Sime in the November general election.

Sayre owns Sayre Enterprises in Buena Vista, a business that started in his garage and now employs 120 people. The company manufactures, embellishes and distributes goods such as promotional products, collegiate merchandise and outdoor gear.

Sayre said he entered the Senate race because "there was a crying need" for a more conservative candidate than Hanger.

With three moderate Senate Republicans already retiring, Sayre said his election could help move the 40-member chamber in a more conservative direction. Republicans hold a 23-17 majority, but GOP moderates and Democrats have joined forces on high-profile measures such as the 2004 tax increase.

Sayre insists the increase was unnecessary, saying lawmakers instead should have worked harder to control spending.

"Government was on a spending spree and they got to the point where they were spending more than they had," Sayre said.

Hanger defends his vote for the legislation, saying it improved the tax code and generated revenue to sustain the state's share of funding for schools and other state services. Hanger said the tax package benefits his district because rural areas rely heavily on the state for school funding.

"That's something I take pride in rather than run away from," Hanger said.

Sayre also has criticized Hanger for sponsoring legislation that would allow state colleges to grant in-state tuition rates to certain illegal immigrants. Hanger's bill, which has twice failed in the House of Delegates, would prohibit colleges from offering in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, but allow exceptions for students who have lived in the state for three years, come from tax-paying families, graduated from a Virginia high school and demonstrated intent to file for U.S. citizenship.

Sayre said Hanger's bill, which failed in the House of Delegates, would reward people who break the law.

"Anytime you're enabling illegal behavior, you're fostering more illegal behavior," Sayre said.

Hanger said his bill would set a policy for state colleges and allow some narrow, "common-sense" exceptions for certain students. Hanger scoffed at suggestions that he is soft on illegal immigration, citing his 2005 bill that denies state and local government benefits to people who have not established a legal presence in the country.

Hanger sits on the budget-writing Senate Finance Committee and chairs the Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee. If he gets re-elected and Republicans keep control of the Senate, he likely would become chairman of the Agriculture Committee. The chairman of that panel, Sen. Charles Hawkins of Chatham, is retiring.

Hanger said it's "very important" for Western Virginia to have such seniority. Sayre said it's more important for the district to have conservative legislators in both houses of the General Assembly. The voters will get the last word.