Virginia Governor's Race 2013 -Who's Gonna Win?

[Landslide Lyndon]

August 11, 2006 was the day Virginia politics changed.  Forever.

What happened on August 11, 2006?

The world discovered the existence of a site named YouTube.

[IceSpear]

Bill Bolling is not going to endorse McAuliffe.  He's not going to risk his political future to support an unpopular candidate.   

His political future in the Republican Party is already over. He was already tossed aside for not being sufficiently right wing enough, and the hate for him among the rank and file has grown even more because of the fact that he refuses to endorse Cuccinelli.

[illegaloperation]

Bolling is essentially a Cuccinelli style Republican but without the rancid personality and in-your-face-ness. Sure you could point to Crist, but at least he could point to several bipartisan and centrist policies he had while governor. There's no way Bolling could win a Democratic primary.

Sure he could. Isn't there a DINO running for Lt. governor right now?

[evan83]

August 11, 2006 was the day Virginia politics changed.  Forever.

What happened on August 11, 2006?

It was THE day that Northern Virginia was politically galvanized into action.   

[publicunofficial]

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/virginia-governor-election-cuccinelli-98089.html?hp=r5

Cuccinelli is scaling back his ad buys, meaning either A) The campaign is out of money or B) The GOP is giving up.


Either way, I'm declaring this campaign dead. TOD: 10/10/13

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

This one is going to get real ugly downballot for the GOP, methinks.

[IceSpear]

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/virginia-governor-election-cuccinelli-98089.html?hp=r5

Cuccinelli is scaling back his ad buys, meaning either A) The campaign is out of money or B) The GOP is giving up.


Either way, I'm declaring this campaign dead. TOD: 10/10/13

It was dead on October 1st at 12:01 AM.

[Keystone Phil]

The thought of Terry McAuliffe winning any elected public office (let alone Governor of a swing state) is astonishing and all of you would agree if you set aside your feelings on Cuccinelli.

Anyway, Terry will be an unquestionably disastrous Governor, most likely scandal plagued and extremely unpopular. VA Dems will be tagged as "McAuliffe Democrats" over the next few years and the GOP will benefit.

Cuccinelli is simply falling on his sword to ensure greater days to come. You all talk about the day that marked the end of this campaign. That's fine. I look at it this way though: Inauguration Day is when the VA GOP will be reborn.

[windjammer]

If the Pubs continue to nominate an arch conservative republican in a purple state becoming blue, you can be sure the VA GOP won't be reborn.

[PolitiJunkie]

The thought of Terry McAuliffe winning any elected public office (let alone Governor of a swing state) is astonishing and all of you would agree if you set aside your feelings on Cuccinelli.

Anyway, Terry will be an unquestionably disastrous Governor, most likely scandal plagued and extremely unpopular. VA Dems will be tagged as "McAuliffe Democrats" over the next few years and the GOP will benefit.

Cuccinelli is simply falling on his sword to ensure greater days to come. You all talk about the day that marked the end of this campaign. That's fine. I look at it this way though: Inauguration Day is when the VA GOP will be reborn.

I agree.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Virginia Republicans can't accuse anybody for corruption with a straight face thanks to Bob McDonnell.

[Holmes]

The thought of Terry McAuliffe winning any elected public office (let alone Governor of a swing state) is astonishing and all of you would agree if you set aside your feelings on Cuccinelli.

Anyway, Terry will be an unquestionably disastrous Governor, most likely scandal plagued and extremely unpopular. VA Dems will be tagged as "McAuliffe Democrats" over the next few years and the GOP will benefit.

Cuccinelli is simply falling on his sword to ensure greater days to come. You all talk about the day that marked the end of this campaign. That's fine. I look at it this way though: Inauguration Day is when the VA GOP will be reborn.

You claim to know the future but what's stopping the Republicans in Virginia to be labelled "Cuccinelli Republicans" now? You always roll your eyes at people for making stupid predictions, but you just made one right there.

[Brittain33]

The thought of Terry McAuliffe winning any elected public office (let alone Governor of a swing state) is astonishing and all of you would agree if you set aside your feelings on Cuccinelli.

Anyway, Terry will be an unquestionably disastrous Governor, most likely scandal plagued and extremely unpopular. VA Dems will be tagged as "McAuliffe Democrats" over the next few years and the GOP will benefit.

Cuccinelli is simply falling on his sword to ensure greater days to come. You all talk about the day that marked the end of this campaign. That's fine. I look at it this way though: Inauguration Day is when the VA GOP will be reborn.

Is this meant to be a parody post?

I was skeptical of McAuliffe, but if Haley Barbour could change from a sleazy politico and lobbyist to an effective governor, so could McAuliffe.

Cuccinelli and his ilk are done in Virginia. His 2004-style politics are going to get more and more stale as Virginia grows more diverse.

[Keystone Phil]

You claim to know the future but what's stopping the Republicans in Virginia to be labelled "Cuccinelli Republicans" now? You always roll your eyes at people for making stupid predictions, but you just made one right there.

It's a feeling I have based on McAuliffe's history and demeanor. It's not like the repeated idiotic predictions made with complete certitude about U.S. Senate elections that are three to five years away.

And...uh...I'm sure there are plenty of Republicans being labeled "Cuccinelli Republicans" now. That's a cool attack for now, I guess. It's going to be a different story when you have four years of the other guy in power.

Is this meant to be a parody post?

Uh, no. The idea that McAuliffe will be unpopular or scandal plagued isn't some hack point. You can disagree but that doesn't make the suggestion a joke.

[Brittain33]

Uh, no. The idea that McAuliffe will be unpopular or scandal plagued isn't some hack point. You can disagree but that doesn't make the suggestion a joke.

I think there's a decent chance he becomes unpopular, but I don't think his odds are any worse than any other politician. Counterintuitively, because he's not coming in as the messiah and because he's experienced (if little else), I think he benefits from low expectations. Also, Republicans are guaranteed to hold the Assembly, so he's got a foil.

Also, he's already so rich, and he's seen enough issues in public office, that I'm optimistic he won't be a scandal magnet. He's got 4 years to govern and he's out, that's not too long a time to keep his nose clean.

I don't see that he's headed for complete and utter disaster the way that, I don't know, you could tell with Paul LePage it was going to happen.

[Brittain33]

For background, I've been reading This Town the past few weeks so have a better sense of McAuliffe than I did before, when I thought he was just a stale fundraiser retread with zilch to offer. I don't love him, but he's not a joke.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

The thought of Terry McAuliffe winning any elected public office (let alone Governor of a swing state) is astonishing and all of you would agree if you set aside your feelings on Cuccinelli.

Anyway, Terry will be an unquestionably disastrous Governor, most likely scandal plagued and extremely unpopular. VA Dems will be tagged as "McAuliffe Democrats" over the next few years and the GOP will benefit.

Cuccinelli is simply falling on his sword to ensure greater days to come. You all talk about the day that marked the end of this campaign. That's fine. I look at it this way though: Inauguration Day is when the VA GOP will be reborn.

Is this meant to be a parody post?

I was skeptical of McAuliffe, but if Haley Barbour could change from a sleazy politico and lobbyist to an effective governor, so could McAuliffe.

Cuccinelli and his ilk are done in Virginia. His 2004-style politics are going to get more and more stale as Virginia grows more diverse.

2004-style?

[Keystone Phil]

Dems love referencing 2004. "It's not 2004 anymore!" It's their way of saying, "We've moved on from the Bush years/once pretty popular culturally conservative positions motivating the nation." It was a GOP base-driven time. You'll remember how exit polls showed that "moral issues" were the top concern for many voters that year. Gay marriage bans were on the ballot in many states, helping to turn out social conservatives. This was a low point for their party so they're naturally going to enjoy reminding themselves that those days are over.

[Landslide Lyndon]

This was a low point for their party so they're naturally going to enjoy reminding themselves that those days are over.

Everybody who doesn't prey on hate enjoys being reminded of that.

[Keystone Phil]

This was a low point for their party so they're naturally going to enjoy reminding themselves that those days are over.

Everybody who doesn't prey on hate enjoys being reminded of that.

Love it when you speak über hack to me, baby.

[Landslide Lyndon]

This was a low point for their party so they're naturally going to enjoy reminding themselves that those days are over.

Everybody who doesn't prey on hate enjoys being reminded of that.

Love it when you speak über hack to me, baby.

What's so hackish about what I said? These were the days when anti-gay and anti-muslim bigotry was almost a prerequisite for any self-respecting candidate.

[Brittain33]

Dems love referencing 2004. "It's not 2004 anymore!" It's their way of saying, "We've moved on from the Bush years/once pretty popular culturally conservative positions motivating the nation." It was a GOP base-driven time. You'll remember how exit polls showed that "moral issues" were the top concern for many voters that year. Gay marriage bans were on the ballot in many states, helping to turn out social conservatives. This was a low point for their party so they're naturally going to enjoy reminding themselves that those days are over.

Well, being gay married myself, my priority is for my own life and not for "my own party's lows." Yes, I enjoy reminding myself that we don't have a majority of Americans voting on my rights and blaming me for their own problems. What a partisan I am.

2002 was a lot worse for me as a Dem than 2004. 2004 was nasty because of the same-sex marriage bans, plus it was depressing that Bush won, but the Dems put up a fight and turned out, unlike 2002 when we gave up. And Bush's second term when to sh!t in record time.

[Brittain33]

2004-style?

He's a culture warrior and Bush-era Republican. It's been a while since Republican standard bearers put culture issues on the front burner like he has, and those days aren't combing back.

[Keystone Phil]

Well, being gay married myself, my priority is for my own life and not for "my own party's lows." Yes, I enjoy reminding myself that we don't have a majority of Americans voting on my rights and blaming me for their own problems. What a partisan I am.

You were speaking as a partisan when you referred to Cuccinelli's style of politics, my friend. And I was generally referring to Dems, not specifically gays or gay Dems, when they say, "It isn't 2004 anymore!" They're obviously speaking from a partisan perspective.

[Non Swing Voter]

While I understand that Cooch is a pathetic nutjob, if the GOP can't even stay somewhat competitive in non-Presidential elections in Virginia now, then the state has transitioned to blue even faster than I thought (and I've been the one saying it's transitioning much faster than everyone thinks).

Also, I live in NOVA and I'm not really seeing the cutback in stupid cooch ads.  I see a ton of his ads still.  They all suck and no-one here is going to vote for that jerk but it's not like the GOP has just given up... which makes the current poll numbers even more disturbing for them. 

It would be interesting if one of the polls did a breakdown by region.  I'd imagine (as usual) the problem for the GOP is based in NOVA even though they are probably doing alright in the rest of the state... they are probably just losing NOVA by an even larger margin than normal.