VA 2009: Creigh Deeds Announces Candidacy for Governor

[Frodo]

The Washington Post had an article in the paper regarding his announcement this morning, but it appears not to be on its website for some reason.  So, you could watch his announcement from the Raising Kaine web-blog instead.

And here's his campaign website.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I feel like I should know more about this guy; where is he from?  How long has he been active?

[Frodo]

I feel like I should know more about this guy; where is he from?  How long has he been active?

He was originally born in Richmond, and has been active in politics for about twenty years now, beginning at the age of 29.

He's a moderately conservative Democrat, being pro-gun rights (he has an A-rating from the NRA), and against gay marriage, though he also has strong ratings from NARAL, Planned Parenthood, the Virginia Education Association, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, and the Virginia branch of the AFL-CIO.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I feel like I should know more about this guy; where is he from?  How long has he been active?

He was originally born in Richmond, and has been active in politics for about twenty years now, beginning at the age of 29.

He's a moderately conservative Democrat, being pro-gun rights (he has an A-rating from the NRA), and against gay marriage, though he also has strong ratings from NARAL, Planned Parenthood, the Virginia Education Association, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, and the Virginia branch of the AFL-CIO.

This guy sounds good; but on gay marriage: does he not care, or is he a more GOP type on the issue?

[Frodo]

I feel like I should know more about this guy; where is he from?  How long has he been active?

He was originally born in Richmond, and has been active in politics for about twenty years now, beginning at the age of 29.

He's a moderately conservative Democrat, being pro-gun rights (he has an A-rating from the NRA), and against gay marriage, though he also has strong ratings from NARAL, Planned Parenthood, the Virginia Education Association, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, and the Virginia branch of the AFL-CIO.

This guy sounds good; but on gay marriage: does he not care, or is he a more GOP type on the issue?

As far as gay marriage is concerned, I get the distinct feeling that this isn't exactly an issue he is particularly passionate about.  He is against it primarily because his district is. 

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I feel like I should know more about this guy; where is he from?  How long has he been active?

He was originally born in Richmond, and has been active in politics for about twenty years now, beginning at the age of 29.

He's a moderately conservative Democrat, being pro-gun rights (he has an A-rating from the NRA), and against gay marriage, though he also has strong ratings from NARAL, Planned Parenthood, the Virginia Education Association, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, and the Virginia branch of the AFL-CIO.

This guy sounds good; but on gay marriage: does he not care, or is he a more GOP type on the issue?

As far as gay marriage is concerned, I get the distinct feeling that this isn't exactly an issue he is particularly passionate about.  He is against it primarily because his district is. 

Excellent; is he the first Democrat to declare?

[Frodo]

I feel like I should know more about this guy; where is he from?  How long has he been active?

He was originally born in Richmond, and has been active in politics for about twenty years now, beginning at the age of 29.

He's a moderately conservative Democrat, being pro-gun rights (he has an A-rating from the NRA), and against gay marriage, though he also has strong ratings from NARAL, Planned Parenthood, the Virginia Education Association, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, and the Virginia branch of the AFL-CIO.

This guy sounds good; but on gay marriage: does he not care, or is he a more GOP type on the issue?

As far as gay marriage is concerned, I get the distinct feeling that this isn't exactly an issue he is particularly passionate about.  He is against it primarily because his district is. 

Excellent; is he the first Democrat to declare?

Yup -I expect Delegate Brian Moran of Alexandria to follow with his own announcement. 

[MarkWarner08]

Some rare good news for Virginia Republicans. Now the two Democrats with any statewide name ID are running for the same office. This probably guarantees the GOP will hold the AG  and Lt. Gov. positions.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Some rare good news for Virginia Republicans. Now the two Democrats with any statewide name ID are running for the same office. This probably guarantees the GOP will hold the AG  and Lt. Gov. positions.

Moran doesn't have any statewide name ID. He's a state delegate from a super-safe district in Northern Virginia. He may be the House Democratic Caucus Chair, but nobody outside of political blogs is aware of that.

[Adlai Stevenson]

Well Leslie Byrne is running against Tom Davis for her old VA-11 seat so the Democrats will have to find new candidates for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General.  For the latter office I don't know, but may I suggest a Deeds for Governor/Moran for Lieutenant Governor ticket? 

Does anyone else think that 2009 might break Virginia's record of electing the candidate of the party who lost the White House a year ealier, unbroken since 1981?  To put it more plainly, that the Democrats will win the Presidency in 2008 and still win the Governorship again in 2009?  And just to put a spanner into the works, further: will the Democratic Presidential nominee carry Virginia in 2008?  My input is yes to the frist question but no to the second.  I think the GOP nominee should prevail about 51%-48% in 2008 but Deeds will be elected.  There you go. 

[WalterMitty]

isnt he from the bath county area?  that is a very sparsely populated area.

maybe im thinking of someone else..

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Well Leslie Byrne is running against Tom Davis for her old VA-11 seat so the Democrats will have to find new candidates for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General.  For the latter office I don't know, but may I suggest a Deeds for Governor/Moran for Lieutenant Governor ticket? 

Does anyone else think that 2009 might break Virginia's record of electing the candidate of the party who lost the White House a year ealier, unbroken since 1981?  To put it more plainly, that the Democrats will win the Presidency in 2008 and still win the Governorship again in 2009?  And just to put a spanner into the works, further: will the Democratic Presidential nominee carry Virginia in 2008?  My input is yes to the frist question but no to the second.  I think the GOP nominee should prevail about 51%-48% in 2008 but Deeds will be elected.  There you go. 

I think Moran has a better chance of winning the primary, just because it will be a NoVa v. RoVa contest, and in that contest, the NoVa Democrat wins. Which sets up a worrying possibility that the Democratic ticket will be all-NoVa; so far, the only candidate I've heard mentioned for either of the downballot races is Delegate Steve Shannon for Attorney General, from Fairfax County. After the stupid move of appointing a Senator from Arlington/Alexandria the Agriculture Committee Chair, they can't risk being seen as the party of NoVa (and, to a lesser extent, Hampton Roads).

isnt he from the bath county area?  that is a very sparsely populated area.

maybe im thinking of someone else..

This is true, but his district is a gerrymandered mess (in Virginia? shocking!) that stretches from Bath to Charlottesville.

[MAS117]

Expect Moran to announce sometime after the session is over. Moran v. Deeds is going to be a good primary battle, but I hope it can be avoided. One of the reasons why Deeds lost in 2005 was because he couldn't fund raise. Now, he announces two years out that hes running. Is it sad it's going to take him two years to fund raise enough to run?

[HardRCafé]

This is good news.