VA and NJ State Legaslative elections.

[Virginian87]

All right, I'm sick of hearing about New Jersey.  Let's talk about the OTHER state here.

Edit: What makes you think the Democrats will gain the 9 seats they need to flip the Virginia House of Delegates?

I agree with Kevin in the sense that this could actually happen.  Whether it will happen, on the other hand, is a different story.  The big issue for the elections this fall will be transportation, an issue that has dogged the Republicans recently here.  Most of the Southside Republicans have opposed the plan to create better roads in traffic-clogged Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads because they don't want to be paying higher taxes that will help a portion of the state that they don't live in.  They prefer raising taxes in the areas that need the improvements the most, and then taking additional funds out of the statewide General Fund, which would otherwise go to educational and healthcare improvements for the state.  Given that Virginia's schools and universities are constantly demanding more money (with UVA threatening to privatize itself), I think this is a big mistake for the Republicans to divert this money towards transporation.  Unfortunately, many of these libertarian-Republicans need to realize that it is in the best interest of all Virginians to have improved transportation, not just in certain regions of the Commonwealth but statewide (I should note that Tim Kaine's transportation plan also will provide for improved construction on interstates).   A lot of them have also been very averse to working with Gov. Kaine, who defeated their golden boy Jerry Kilgore in the 2005 gubernatorial race.  I think Virginia voters will realize this fall that the Republicans in the House of Delegates just don't care as much about education/transportation as they do about saving an extra buck. 

I believe that you'll see in this election an all-out purge of Republican state legislators in Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William especially), as well as in other areas of the state.  Fortunately, the Democrats have recruited some socially conservative candidates to run in the Valley, Hampton Roads, and the Piedmont, and we might see some gains there this year. 

So all in all, a Democratic takeover of the House of Delegates, while an outside shot, is still a possibility.

[Kevin]

All right, I'm sick of hearing about New Jersey.  Let's talk about the OTHER state here.

Edit: What makes you think the Democrats will gain the 9 seats they need to flip the Virginia House of Delegates?

I agree with Kevin in the sense that this could actually happen.  Whether it will happen, on the other hand, is a different story.  The big issue for the elections this fall will be transportation, an issue that has dogged the Republicans recently here.  Most of the Southside Republicans have opposed the plan to create better roads in traffic-clogged Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads because they don't want to be paying higher taxes that will help a portion of the state that they don't live in.  They prefer raising taxes in the areas that need the improvements the most, and then taking additional funds out of the statewide General Fund, which would otherwise go to educational and healthcare improvements for the state.  Given that Virginia's schools and universities are constantly demanding more money (with UVA threatening to privatize itself), I think this is a big mistake for the Republicans to divert this money towards transporation.  Unfortunately, many of these libertarian-Republicans need to realize that it is in the best interest of all Virginians to have improved transportation, not just in certain regions of the Commonwealth but statewide (I should note that Tim Kaine's transportation plan also will provide for improved construction on interstates).   A lot of them have also been very averse to working with Gov. Kaine, who defeated their golden boy Jerry Kilgore in the 2005 gubernatorial race.  I think Virginia voters will realize this fall that the Republicans in the House of Delegates just don't care as much about education/transportation as they do about saving an extra buck. 

I believe that you'll see in this election an all-out purge of Republican state legislators in Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William especially), as well as in other areas of the state.  Fortunately, the Democrats have recruited some socially conservative candidates to run in the Valley, Hampton Roads, and the Piedmont, and we might see some gains there this year. 

So all in all, a Democratic takeover of the House of Delegates, while an outside shot, is still a possibility.

Do you live in NOVA Virginian87? If you do you most likely realize how hellish the traffic is from day to day, Where I live in Loudoun it is pretty bad as it took me almost an hour and half to get home from school one time, With traffic as bad as this I think we are going to see a purge and a absoulte Democratic sweep of NOVA because I think people are going to take their anger out on the Republicans for their fellow Republicans actions outside of NOVA, Also a great deal of the out of state voters who are moving into Loudoun are liberal Democrats from the Northeast.   

[MAS117]

And now, the State Assembly, where each district elects two candidates:

Assy 01: This should be a terrific opportunity for Republicans -- a strongly GOP district with an open Dem held seat (and a potentially vulnerable second Dem incumbent who won 2005 in a fluke).  Surprisingly, though, the GOP has fielded weak candidates, and that might put their "sure" pick-up in jeopardy.  I'll give one of these two seats to the GOP, and predict that Assemblyman Nelson Albano (D) wins a second term.

These local parties are really screwing up. The fact that Albano won in 2005 was insane enough and now he'll get an easy ride. I am close to one of the NJ posters here so I know a bit about the weak candidates that they fielded. I also follow some Cape May county politics because I vacation in Sea Isle City, home of freeholder and Mayor Len Desiderio. I thought it was a given that he'd be running for a seat. Do you have any idea why he passed on it?

THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY

[HardRCafé]

I talked to Steve about this issue and he told me it was more the issue of bilingual printing costing the taxpayer's money and he wanted to draw attention to it and this was the oppurtunity that came knocking

Good thing he chose carefully, or Republicans might have had a bad cycle.

[Keystone Phil]

And now, the State Assembly, where each district elects two candidates:

Assy 01: This should be a terrific opportunity for Republicans -- a strongly GOP district with an open Dem held seat (and a potentially vulnerable second Dem incumbent who won 2005 in a fluke).  Surprisingly, though, the GOP has fielded weak candidates, and that might put their "sure" pick-up in jeopardy.  I'll give one of these two seats to the GOP, and predict that Assemblyman Nelson Albano (D) wins a second term.

These local parties are really screwing up. The fact that Albano won in 2005 was insane enough and now he'll get an easy ride. I am close to one of the NJ posters here so I know a bit about the weak candidates that they fielded. I also follow some Cape May county politics because I vacation in Sea Isle City, home of freeholder and Mayor Len Desiderio. I thought it was a given that he'd be running for a seat. Do you have any idea why he passed on it?

THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY

There are times that I really dislike you and then there are times that you crack me up...

[MAS117]

And now, the State Assembly, where each district elects two candidates:

Assy 01: This should be a terrific opportunity for Republicans -- a strongly GOP district with an open Dem held seat (and a potentially vulnerable second Dem incumbent who won 2005 in a fluke).  Surprisingly, though, the GOP has fielded weak candidates, and that might put their "sure" pick-up in jeopardy.  I'll give one of these two seats to the GOP, and predict that Assemblyman Nelson Albano (D) wins a second term.

These local parties are really screwing up. The fact that Albano won in 2005 was insane enough and now he'll get an easy ride. I am close to one of the NJ posters here so I know a bit about the weak candidates that they fielded. I also follow some Cape May county politics because I vacation in Sea Isle City, home of freeholder and Mayor Len Desiderio. I thought it was a given that he'd be running for a seat. Do you have any idea why he passed on it?

THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY

There are times that I really dislike you and then there are times that you crack me up...

I try to mix it up a little bit.