One of the problems with kicking off legislative campaigns in 2010 that conclude in 2011 is that the political hopefuls in questions do not necessarily know what seats, exactly, they are seeking.

Bob FitzSimmonds has the topic picked out (state Senate) and he's willing to change his permanent address in order to run. However, until the redistricting process is completed by the Virginia General Assembly next spring, the boundaries of the district he's running to represent will be unknown.

That still did not prevent him from kicking off his fourth state Senate campaign in 11 years Saturday in Bristow at Victory Lakes. FitzSimmonds, who serves as the deputy clerk of the circuit court for Prince William County, ran for the 29th district in 1999, 2003 and 2007 only to lose to outgoing incumbent state Sen. Chuck Colgan (D) in 1999 and 2007. He felling in the 2003 Republican primary to then-Clerk of the Circuit Court Dave Mabie.

Speaking to about 45 people at the community center in the subdivision, FitzSimmonds said the boundary lines should be drawn by April and that Northern Virginia will get two new districts.

"If they should cut me out of the 29th district, we fully intend to move," said FitzSimmonds.

It is because of redistricting that Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart (R) could attend the campaign kick off and even wear FitzSimmonds for Senate sticker on the right side of his blazer, but not technically endorse his candidacy over another person's, particularly that of Del. Jackson Miller (R-50th).

The former Manassas City councilman, who is ideologically considered more moderate than FitzSimmonds, is openly weighing a state Senate run but said he will not formally declare his intentions until he knows the district boundaries.

Stewart said he wants to promote the general candidacy of FitzSimmonds rather than specifically pick him for office.

"No endorsement yet," said Stewart. "It's kind of a fine line. And here's the reason: We don't know what district it's going to be."

FitzSimmonds's message hits the same themes he campaign runs on every election cycle: empower localities to make their own decisions, cut spending and taxes, emphasize conservatism over party label and vigilantly oppose abortion.

His rhetoric on the the latter can often put him to the ideological right of even other Republicans and the 2010 FitzSimmonds has not softened his choice of words.

"I believe passionately that every baby deserves to live," said FitzSimmonds, pausing to hold back tears as he stressed that the cause of a pregnancy "shouldn't determine whether its executed or not,"

His opposition to abortion mirrors that of western Prince William Del. Bob Marshall (R-13th), who is typically regarded as the state legislature's most socially conservative member. FitzSimmonds also touted his record on promoting sexual abstinence for teenagers, saying 70 percent of youth he's worked with signed pledges to refrain from sex until marriage.

"So you can count on me when I go to Richmond that I'm not going to sit quietly by when things happen in this arena," said FitzSimmonds, who also stumped for Marshall's constitutional amendment in 2006 to ban the government from recognizing same-sex marriages and civil unions in Virginia.

A supporter of social reforms being enacted at the statewide level and a staunch advocate for the Dillon Rule, FitzSimmonds criticizes those who want to strip localities of existing regulatory and financial powers.

"You know, Republicans rant and rail against Washington, the Obama administration, taking control of the state and taking it to Washington. And as we should," said FitzSimmonds. "But then many Republicans go into the General Assembly... and they vote to take local responsibility and move it to the state level."

When it comes to assessing politicians themselves, FitzSimmonds speaks highly of those he says have convictions, even if he disagrees with them. During Keith Fimian's (R) congressional campaign kick off earlier this year in Haymarket, FitzSimmonds called President Barack Obama a "true believer" in his causes.

He said on Saturday that both former President Ronald Reagan and Governor-turned-Senator Mark Warner (D) earned high approval ratings during their time as executives because they focused on results. FitzSimmonds mentioned during his speech he opposed the tax increases under Warner and chided the past Republican-controlled legislature for passing them.

His larger point though was that citizens generally respond well to those they deem effective and that Virginians generally like their governors regardless of party label.

FitzSimmonds emphasized his own experience working in the clerk's office and recalled his time serving as a legislative aide for Del. Scott Lingamfelter (R-31st) and former state Sen. Ken Cuccinelli (R), who now serves as the commonwealth's attorney general. He said when a bill came before each of them, he would call lobbyists on "both sides" of the issue and hear the for and against arguments, even asking the lobbyists themselves to give opposing view points to the legislation they either championed or derided.

"And I know lobbyists get a bad name, and sometimes they deserve it, but when you work in a legislative experience, when you're going to see 2,500 to 3,000 bills in 45 days, you need some experts on the ground," said FitzSimmonds.

He later added, "There were very few times when the legislator that I served would say, 'Boy, I wish we hadn't voted that way.' And that citizen involvement, lobbyist involvement, key player involvement will be a hallmark of my time in Virginia Senate."