With all due respect, I have to take issue with a number of points raised by Washington Post reporter Tim Craig in this article.
1. "But it took only a month for reality to set in. In many parts of Virginia, voters continue to have strong affection for Republicans."
Uh, I think we figured this out a lot longer than a month ago.
2. "Forgit drew support from liberal bloggers..."
Actually, that's not really correct at all. The true "liberal" bloggers DID NOT support Forgit, because he was too conservative for their tastes on a number of issues. The more pragmatic, more centrist Democratic bloggers DID support Forgit. And just for the record, this blog largely sees itself as Mark Warner/Jim Webb Progressive. We also agree with Jim Webb that "the old labels of liberal and conservative no longer apply," at least not here in Virginia.
3. "Wittman's easy victory could spell trouble for Democrats, who are hoping to pick up one or two congressional seats in Northern Virginia next year."
What on earth Wittman's "easy victory," in an overwhelmingly Republican district, has to do with Northern Virginia is beyond me. Last time I checked, NOVA was turning "blue," big time.
4. "In the 10th District, which stretches from Fairfax County to the upper Shenandoah Valley, Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R) is girding for a potentially tough reelection battle."
You nailed this one, Wolf's in trouble (and writing panicky emails to his supporters). I'm not sure how this relates to your previous point, though.
5. "Byrne and Feder have reasons to be optimistic about their chances if they are the nominees."
Agreed.
6. "But both have embraced a curious strategy of reaching out to liberal bloggers who often attack Democrats they view as being too moderate, including Connolly."
This is wrong on so many levels, it's hard to know where to start. What's "curious" about politicians "reaching out" to the blogs? Tim Kaine, Mark Warner, Jim Webb, Jim Moran, Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling, Brian Moran, Creigh Deeds, Leslie Byrne, Doug Denneny, Judy Feder, Tom Perriello, Dave Shreve, Donald McEachin, George Barker...these are just a few of the many Virginia politicians who have made appearances on the blogs. Didn't seem to hurt them any. Also, you may have noticed a parade of Democratic politicians "reaching out" to the national blogs, which generally are far more liberal than the Virginia Democratic blogs. And the problem is???
As far as Connolly is concerned, if you think that we've attacked him because he's "too moderate," you totally don't understand where we're coming from or why we have certain issues with Gerry Connolly. Let me just state this point blank: those issues have NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with the fact that Connolly's supposedly a "moderate." Actually, last I checked, Connolly was quite liberal in many ways (immigration, environment). Again, that is NOT the issue here. You might want to review the Charlie Hall-Linda Smyth race for more understanding of where many of us are coming from with regard to Connolly.
7.b"Liberal bloggers may have helped Webb win the Democratic nomination for Senate last year, but they have yet to prove they can help a Virginia candidate win a general election in a district in which a majority of voters are more used to voting Republican.
Just ask Forgit."
Hmmmm...let's see, the people you call "liberal bloggers" (again, they're DEMOCRATIC bloggers, it's really not that difficult to understand) didn't help Chap Petersen this year in a district that had voted for Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (R) for several years? Bloggers didn't help George Barker in a district that had voted for Jay O'Brien (R) for several years? Bloggers didn't help Karen Schultz (D) come within a whisker of defeating Jill Holtzman Vogel (R) in a district that is solidly Republican? Bloggers didn't help raise tens of thousands of dollars for Virginia Democratic candidates this cycle? Bloggers didn't help Jim Webb win the general election last year? Perhaps you might want to ask Jim Webb or Steve Jarding about that?
P.S. Maybe Mr. Craig and other members of the corporate media should read the book Nate Wilcox and I wrote, "Netroots Rising: How a Citizen Army of Bloggers and Online Activists Is Changing American Politics". Here are a few reviews:
"Blogs have changed the dynamics of campaigns forever in just a few short years, and they've opened up politics to a whole new wave of grassroots activists. Lowell Feld and Nate Wilcox take us behind the scenes of this new phenomenon, revealing the virtues and, yes, the vices of the blogosphere in some of the hottest contests in recent elections. One thing's for sure: politics will never be the same, and people who don't have a handle on blogs won't understand the campaigns of the future." - Larry J. Sabato, Director, Center for Politics, University of Virginia
"Netroots Rising offers a gripping insider's account of the most important new political movement in America today. If you want to understand how online activism and activists are changing the Democratic Party--and the country--you'll want to read this book." - Matthew Yglesias, Associate Editor of The Atlantic Monthly
"Two histories are emerging for our country's past decade. One is in the headlines and the network newscasts and it consistently misses the profound political changes washing over American democracy. Nate Wilcox and Lowell Feld, however, are leading thinkers in the gathering army of citizens determined to use the Internet to return our democracy to its founding principles. And in Netroots Rising, you will read the story of all the bright young minds who have found a new way to water the roots of our tree of liberty. America is still in good hands and you can see its bright future reflected on these pages." - James C. Moore, Author of Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential
Also, Markos wrote the foreword, in which he says "Nate and Lowell are but two in a progressive army that numbers hundreds of thousands to millions of committed activists, all working for a new generation of leadership to shake up moribund party establishments everywhere from Washington D.C. to state capitals and city halls."