2012—Even though you could never explain to me what you felt was wrong with the direction of VA and did not deny that a GOP deal was cut in VA to avoid a Primary or possible 3-way run as in NY—-Though you brought up McAuliffe, who was brought in by the DNC to counter and likely defeat McDonnell with unlimited DNC funding, VA Dem Voters refused a DEM Deal and chose Deeds. Even though you could never give me a reason for backing McDonnell, other than the (R) followed after his name, I congratulate you, McDonnell and his hard-working Campaign Team for a Well-Earned Victory—Congratulations, my friend: And may Virginia continue to move forward and proudly lead—
Take the time to read the commentary below—I hope you understand what I have been saying these many months—-The elections are over, but now the work begins—-I have enjoyed our exchange of ideas’ my friend—-Whether you continue on this forum or disappear is up to you—Proud member of SWVA forum or Troll??-Have the B*lls to tell the folks on this forum—
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Pundits have tried for weeks to tie Deeds’ and McDonnell’s race to a larger national significance, specifically a national referendum on President Obama’s first year since his election. And reasonably so—editors and TV producers like it when you can turn local news into national headlines. But that’s nothing compared to how much the Republican party, which won two other state offices in Virginia tonight, wanted to frame McDonnell’s win as a public, national rebuke to Obama.
It might be good for partisan politics, but it’s not the most accurate way to interpret McDonnell’s win.
The proof is in Virginia’s turnout. Exactly a year ago, an impressively high two-thirds of all eligible Virginians voted, a slim majority of whom (52 percent) swung for Obama. The number dropped by double digits this week, which by itself cripples comparisons between the two races. But where the numbers really skew are in the demographics. A year ago, young voters, who usually vote Democratic, were 20 percent of the electorate; today the number was barely half. Among people over 60, who tend to lean conservative, the number doubled from 11 to 21 percent from last year. So really, it’s not exactly the same voters from last year who changed their mind after taking Obama for a test drive.
In trying to figure out where Deeds went wrong, it’s a mistake not to look at Deeds himself. Even in a state lightly tinted blue and with several photo-ops with a still-popular president, Deeds slipped in recent weeks. For one, Deeds overplayed his hand on a misogynistic-sounding master’s thesis that McDonnell wrote almost 30 years ago, making it one of the central messages of his campaign, and a fairly hollow one at that. He also had several public slips, including a flip-flop on a question about taxes and an embarrassing performance at one of his big debates with McDonnell in Fairfax, Virginia. As election day drew closer, he waffled on how much help he wanted from Obama, wary of associating with a president who he figured undecided voters might be turning off to. When he realized he needed the help, his change of heart looked desperate, and by then the White House wasn’t exactly tripping over itself to help.
The post-spin will be endless and, as always, inconclusive. But the race might have been out of Deeds’ hands from the get-go. There’s a weird tradition in Virginia – a state that always elects its governors the year following presidential elections – that the executive mansion goes to the party that just lost the White House. Republicans won after both of Bill Clinton’s victories in the 90s and Democrats won in after Bush 43’s wins in 2000 and 2004. All of which goes to show that the only thing we can say for certain is that Deeds did win a spot in a long line of candidates (he’s the ninth) unlucky enough to be playing for the wrong team.
