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

[libertpaulian]

Perriello is zooming left on guns, calling the NRA nutjobs and promising to push gun control as governor.

Makes any crossover appeal he had in his old district go away, but I doubt that hampers his ability to win if he got the nomination. He doesn't need rural support, as HRC's win showed, so long as he can win NOVA by 25+ and do well in the Hampton Roads.

There are gun owners even in NOVA.  Plus, gun control isn't a motivator for Dem voters, as shown in recent elections.

[libertpaulian]

I feel like Northam seems to focus on social issues far more than Perriello.

Mark Uter...er...Udall's people should get in touch with Northam's people about that.

[libertpaulian]

I feel like Northam seems to focus on social issues far more than Perriello.

Mark Uter...er...Udall's people should get in touch with Northam's people about that.

Yes, but that strategy is proven to work better in VA than in any other competitive state (Hillary 2016, McAuliffe/Herring 2013, etc.)

Focusing on social liberalism should work well in New Hampshire, though I guess it's not really a competitive state.

You and TN Volunteer/MT Treasurer need to get over yourselves with this New Hampshire thing.  It's one of the most elastic states in the nation.

[libertpaulian]

Sheesh, Perriello is getting BTFO in NOVA and Hampton Roads.

Lights out for Team Perriello.  Looks like we get the expected Northam vs. Gillespie race.

[libertpaulian]

Gillespie got obliterated in Prince William

[libertpaulian]

Didn't know there were that many people who bitterly cling to the rebel flag in VA...

[libertpaulian]

My thinking is Perriello runs for Lt.G in 2021, then governor in 2025.  The guy's 42.  He has time.

Didn't know there were that many people who bitterly cling to the rebel flag in VA...

You'd be surprised.

I mean, I knew there'd be bitter clingers in SWVA, but in a supposedly affluent, educated, and urbane county like Prince William?!

[libertpaulian]

Anyway I'm not going to use the thread to bash Northam, but never again do I want to hear a DLC cuck complain about Bernie not being a "real Democrat."  Bernie and Perriello didn't vote for George Bush twice.

Northam reminds me Charlie Crist: career politician in the sense that he will be anything to further his career.

Quick question: was the LG race supposed to be so close? I never saw any polls for it.

Well it's not like Northam was a Democratic elected official in 2000/2004-- he was a private citizen. A person voting for a different party before running for office is a whole other ball game than switching parties altogether for pure political gain

No, but but he nearly did switch parties a few years ago in quite the public debacle.

In other words, he'd be more of a Chuck Robb kind of Dem...centrist and moderate.

[libertpaulian]

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https://twitter.com/DKElections/status/874791887185510404

*snort*

If this Dem is smart, she (he?  Is this a transwoman or transman?) will humanize this race as much as possible, showing that the bathroom issue is about people and not about abstract prejudices and fears.

[libertpaulian]

Tom Perriello:
"Congratulations to @RalphNortham. Let's go win this thing—united. Let's take back the House and ensure VA remains a firewall against hate."

Smart move.

VA isn't the type of state to elect Berniecrats, anyway.  I mean, they elected Senators like Jim Webb and Chuck Robb.

[libertpaulian]

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What makes him come to that conclusion?  The moderate Dem won, not the Berniecrat.

[libertpaulian]

Definitely a disappointing showing for Perriello, but Stewart came out of nowhere tonight.  Seeing how close this was, I'm thinking Northam will have more of an Obama 2008 style 6-9% win than the standard VA Dem 1-3% win.  LG could be interesting.  Republicans got their best candidate there and VA has been known to split tickets for Governor and LG in the past.  Either way, Northam has to be smiling and the primary turnout numbers should make all of the statewide Dems initial favorites.

Indeed.  Northam alone has over 300,000 votes.  Gillespie has a mere 160,000 or so.

[libertpaulian]

I find it hilarious that Gillespie got Gillespie'd!

Not to mention that Democratic Primary turnout was substantially higher than Republican primary turnout - which I'm not sure if that's a normal thing or not.

I tried looking that up too, but evidently in 2013 it was a convention for the GOP. Still, that kind of lopsidedness isn't good, especially since we already know a decent-sized enthusiasm gap has emerged between the two parties nationally, and that Trump is deeply unpopular in Virginia.

I'll wait until this fall to make a prediction but I think this race is very much Northam's to lose. The political environment is simply too ugly for Republicans both nationally and in Virginia, and it only seems to be getting worse.

For sure.  If Northam is smart, he'll do a one-two punch by nationalizing this race and spreading his economic message.