VA-GOV 2017: Utter Panic and Doom (General election: Nov 7th)

[Suburbia]

It will be a close Virginia Democratic primary. I wonder who Doug Wilder will endorse? His endorsement could prove critical in the Black and Latino community, including rural whites, who some of them voted for in 1989.

Perriello made a mistake with the 9/11 statement. It could hurt him with suburban voters near the Pentagon area and the military voters. Lt. Gov. Northam could win those voters in the primary, if some of them are registered Democratic.

However, if Bernie Sanders or Barack Obama, or Bill Clinton campaign in VA this fall, the Democrat could win. Perriello or Northam will tie Trump or Pence to the Va. GOP, and they will try to distance from Trump or Pence.

[Türkisblau]

It will be a close Virginia Democratic primary. I wonder who Doug Wilder will endorse? His endorsement could prove critical in the Black and Latino community, including rural whites, who some of them voted for in 1989.

Perriello made a mistake with the 9/11 statement. It could hurt him with suburban voters near the Pentagon area and the military voters. Lt. Gov. Northam could win those voters in the primary, if some of them are registered Democratic.

However, if Bernie Sanders or Barack Obama, or Bill Clinton campaign in VA this fall, the Democrat could win. Perriello or Northam will tie Trump or Pence to the Va. GOP, and they will try to distance from Trump or Pence.

[Türkisblau]

actual response:

It will be a close Virginia Democratic primary. I wonder who Doug Wilder will endorse? His endorsement could prove critical in the Black and Latino community, including rural whites, who some of them voted for in 1989.

No one remembers Wilder and no one would care except Atlas if he endorsed.

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1. I doubt people will care all that much about the 9/11 comment, and if it does hurt, it will be incredibly insignificant. For that comment to get attention, Northam would have to attack him on it, which is incredibly unlikely as neither politician nor the party wants this to be an ugly primary.

2. There is no party registration in VA. Learn the bare minimum about a state before posting, you goddamn idiot.

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Um, Trump is president and the Democrat will win anyway? Sure, a couple national pols will campaign because they know that D's are likely to keep this seat and they want to be seen as helping the party even if they know that they aren't making much of a difference. A Democrat winning is not at all dependent on national figures helping them...

[publicunofficial]

Ben Pershing of the National Journal has a noteworthy observation:

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[RogueBeaver]

NYT profiles the race.

[Shadows]

Tom has a very strong environmental record & voted for many of the Clean Energy legislation & was an ally of Obama & did support the ACA. Many people called him everything from a Populist to an unapologetic progressive & he was the 1st person to rail against the Corporate establishment.

Northam voted for Bush over Gore n Kerry, even in 2004 after seeing what Bush had done with Iraq n stuff. Northam is a conservative Dem who claims to be a progressive. It is obvious the GOP is much more wary of Tom !

[Figueira]

Yeah, what is Perriello's "disturbing" record on environmental issues?

[Shameless Lefty Hack]

Yeah, what is Perriello's "disturbing" record on environmental issues?

I think he voted for an omnibus something or other that included offshore drilling.

[Deblano]

As a Virginian, I have no idea who I will vote for yet in this race assuming it become Northam vs. Gillespie.

I having a feeling I'm gonna end up voting for Northam, but who knows? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Shameless Lefty Hack]

Ben Pershing of the National Journal has a noteworthy observation:

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Trying to Kremlinologize the opposition always strikes me as fruitless.

Do they want to face Perriello, so they're trying to artificially raise his profile? Or do they actually see him as dangerous, so they're attempting to EITHER actually damage him OR provoke this kind of FUD on the Dem side. No matter their motivation, their action (attacking a candidate) looks the same.

And even if you can figure out their intent, your opponent isn't any smarter than you are. HRC picked her opponent this cycle. She lost. Should the GOP (all value judgements aside) have not nominated Trump because Clinton wanted to face him?

[NeverAgain]

The issue of Northam's Bush votes were questionable to me, but looking at Perriello's record of flip-flopping, neither side should make the past an issue. I still support Northam enthusiastically, and like Perriello lots. I look forward to their productive dialogue and hopefully both will help pull the VA Dems to their rightful victory come November.

[henster]

Northam seems a lot more politically disciplined than Perriello who has won one election in his entire career and that was back in 2008. And yes the 9/11 comments will matter, the RGA is ruthless they will have a Pentagon attack survivor slamming Perriello in an ad if he's the nominee.

[henster]

It really surprises me how nobody brings up that Northam is a doctor AND a veteran and VA is a big military state. He did very well in the 757 and did better than any Dem in the past 8 years in VA Beach. As we saw with Kander & JBE people really like vets as political candidates.

[The Other Castro]

Northam says he voted for George W. Bush both times.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democratic-candidate-for-virginia-governor-says-he-voted-for-george-w-bush-twice_us_58b48eb9e4b0780bac2c68d5

[Intell]

Northam says he voted for George W. Bush both times.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democratic-candidate-for-virginia-governor-says-he-voted-for-george-w-bush-twice_us_58b48eb9e4b0780bac2c68d5

Go Perriello, a man who won in a conservative district, with progressive values! Not a person who self-describes him self as a conservative on fiscal issues, and voted for Bush.

[Chief Justice Keef]

Northam says he voted for George W. Bush both times.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democratic-candidate-for-virginia-governor-says-he-voted-for-george-w-bush-twice_us_58b48eb9e4b0780bac2c68d5

UGH. DINOs are the worst.

[Oakvale]

I mean I'm obviously supporting Fightin Tom (normal AAD) but a guy voting Republican when he was a generic upper middle class voter rather than an active politician seems like a dubious attack tbh.

[heatcharger]

Northam says he voted for George W. Bush both times.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democratic-candidate-for-virginia-governor-says-he-voted-for-george-w-bush-twice_us_58b48eb9e4b0780bac2c68d5

This doesn't really matter largely because there are many Democrats and Democratic-leaners in the state who did the same thing.

It's quite interesting how the Bernie-wing has co-opted Perriello to be some sort of left-wing populist when he's really more like a 2008 Hillary Clinton, and an Obamaite to boot as well. I like him because of those traits, but he's spent a little too much time crafting an anti-Trump strategy rather than boasting his policies and credentials. He also seems liable to make a gaffe that Republicans would punish him for, which he has already done. That's why I'll probably vote for Northam.

UGH. DINOs are the worst.

yeah...

[Virginiá]

This doesn't really matter largely because there are many Democrats and Democratic-leaners in the state who did the same thing.

It's quite interesting how the Bernie-wing has co-opted Perriello to be some sort of left-wing populist when he's really more like a 2008 Hillary Clinton, and an Obamaite to boot as well. I like him because of those traits, but he's spent a little too much time crafting an anti-Trump strategy rather than boasting his policies and credentials. He also seems liable to make a gaffe that Republicans would punish him for, which he has already done. That's why I'll probably vote for Northam.

Mostly agreed here. Personally, I'm not sure the choice really matters so long as both are Democrats willing to uphold most party principles. With the legislature currently being the VAGOP's last bastion of power, it means VA Democrats are mostly playing defense in their statewide positions. If anything, since a Governor can't run for 2 terms in a row, it might be better for liberals to field their candidate in 2021, after next redistricting when Democrats can likely expect to be much more competitive in the House of Delegates, assuming we win this election and block bad gerrymanders. Until then, however, the next Governor in Virginia, if a Democrat, will mostly spend his time blocking the GOP's agenda.

[Deblano]

I mean I'm obviously supporting Fightin Tom (normal AAD) but a guy voting Republican when he was a generic upper middle class voter rather than an active politician seems like a dubious attack tbh.

Agreed.

He's a man who was a conservative Democrat and became slightly more liberal throughout the years (abortion, gun control).

As someone who has had an Independent voting record that isn't confined to one party (I even voted for Mark Warner for Senate and Barbara Comstock for Congress in 2014, which was the first election I voted in), I have no issue with Northam on this.

[Intell]

I mean I'm obviously supporting Fightin Tom (normal AAD) but a guy voting Republican when he was a generic upper middle class voter rather than an active politician seems like a dubious attack tbh.

One's voting record is quite important, and it's not if he changed his opinions just two years late, most likely to run for state senate.

Northam is a symbol of upper-middle class democrats, which is awful.

[Frodo]

Northam says he voted for George W. Bush both times.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democratic-candidate-for-virginia-governor-says-he-voted-for-george-w-bush-twice_us_58b48eb9e4b0780bac2c68d5

I can hardly hold that against him since I voted for Bush once myself. 

[heatcharger]

Northam is a symbol of upper-middle class democrats, which is awful.

Perriello is also an upper-middle class Democrat. There are a lot of them in Virginia. Get over yourself.

[Deblano]

Northam is a symbol of upper-middle class democrats, which is awful.

Perriello is also an upper-middle class Democrat. There are a lot of them in Virginia. Get over yourself.

[Gass3268]

Northam got the endorsement of NARAL