Virgil Goode, Virginia and Frank Wolf

[JSojourner]

Anyone have the latest on Virgil Goode's re-election bid?  Do you think he's going to hang on?

Also, if he falls...and since Thelma Drake fell...is there a chance Frank Wolf could be next?  Or is his district just too solidly Republican?

[Spaghetti Cat]

No one saw either of these two coming, so who knows, Wolf could be next.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Wolf has too much seniority; he'll hold on, and when he retires, there's a chance the 10th goes Democratic.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The next election will be held when Obama has been President for two years (sort of). The time to pick up new seats like Wolf's has, I think, gone now.

[Lief 🗽]

There was never a time to pick up Wolf's seat. The time to pick up his seat will be when he retires. Until then, there's really no way we're beating him.

[Padfoot]

The time to pick up Wolfe's seat will probably come after redistricting.  His district is probably going to lose some of the more Republican western portions due to the demographic shifts in the state.  This is especially likely to happen if Democrats can wrest control of the Virginia House away from Republicans in 2009 while maintaining their slim Senate majority.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Wolf's district isn't the problem (hell Obama likely won it), it's Wolf's personal vote. If he retires it certainly could go.

[Verily]

Tend to agree with what's been said. If the Democrats could gerrymander Virginia to their liking after 2010, they could unseat Wolf, but 2010 is certainly impossible and 2012 probably is (even if a very popular Obama won the district handily). And the Democrats will probably not gain control of the Virginia legislature next year.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I thought the Democrats already had the legislature? Or was it just one house?

[Verily]

I thought the Democrats already had the legislature? Or was it just one house?

Just one house. Republicans control the House of Delegates 52-45-2 with one vacancy; both independents caucus with the Republicans. Democrats control the Senate 21-19.

[Mr.Phips]

Wolf's seat will likely fall to Democrats when he retires, but as long as he runs he is probably safe. 

[minionofmidas]

I thought the Democrats already had the legislature? Or was it just one house?

Just one house. Republicans control the House of Delegates 52-45-2 with one vacancy; both independents caucus with the Republicans. Democrats control the Senate 21-19.

Given that the current Virginia map is one of the meanest gerrymanders in the nation - one that held until 2006 before failing in 2008, too - even holding one house should mean a much fairer map.

[Hash]

I like Wolf because he's a stutterer. Good thing he survived.