I've been a longtime reader of Daily Kos, but until today, I have never felt compelled to write a diary. The reason? The upcoming Virginia Democratic gubernatorial primary between Fmr. Del. Brian Moran, Sen. Creigh Deeds, and Terry McAuliffe.
It started Friday afternoon. I got a robocall on my cell phone from the VA League of Conservation Voters president declaring the group's endorsement of Terry McAuliffe. I turned to my co-worker, an Alexandria native, Moran constituent and supporter to inform him of the news. Given Moran's and Deeds' records on conservation, we agreed to disagree with Va-LCV, shrugged our shoulders and sighed.
Then on Saturday, as I jogged around town I saw the signs. Signs on every piece of public right-of-way as far as the eye could see. Sunday was the last straw, another robocall- from a hip-hop DJ inviting me to an Arlington club to see will.i.am and you guessed it Terry McAuliffe. This was starting to get out of hand.
For the moneyed interests and party establishments astroturfing is all the rage. This go around, the McAuliffe camp is not trying to be so subtle. Simply put, they're trying to beat just enough voters over the head, with money, money, and more money to win a low-turnout primary in June. This is bad news not only for the Virginia Democratic Party, but also is a recipe for disaster in November.
The Virginia Democratic Party is great shape right now: the presidential election, two US Senators, and back-to-back governors. Equally important in terms of maintaining strength and a deep bench are the party's down-ballot successes. This past November, the House delegation switched from 3/8 Dem/GOP to 6/5, with the victories of Rep. Gerry Connolly (Fairfax), Rep. Glenn Nye (Hampton Roads), and Rep. Tom Perriello (Charlottesville). Additionally, the party has a 21-19 majority in the State Senate.
There are many reasons for the party's recent success, perhaps most notably demographic shifts in northern Virginia. But just as important has been the party's candidates. While the VA GOP has lurched right and lost with gimmicky ideologues like Jim Gilmore (US Senate), Virgil Goode and Thelma Drake (US House), the Democrats in Virgina have found the winning formula: results-oriented politicians that have emphasized good government and solving the state's problems. They have sought the center, ideologically and regionally and independent voters who make up the largest bloc in the state and won them decisively.
A McAuliffe candidacy fails to recognize the winning formula in Virginia. McAuliffe is tied too closely to the hyper-partisan, national ideological battles of the past. Like it or not, he will be painted as inside-the-Beltway and out of the mainstream. There is a 30+ year trend of Virginia electing the opposing party following a presidential election. We do not need to make the hill any tougher to climb by putting forward a candidate who will bring with him distractions and baggage a plenty.
As you can tell from my title, I'm supporting Creigh Deeds. He has the best record of serving the state. Creigh has served as a Commonwealth's Attorney, a member of the House of Delegates, a state Senator, and as the nominee for attorney general.
Deeds also has the most impressive legislative record of the bunch, writing the state's Megan's Law and saving the gun show loophole from defeat in the Senate- just a few examples. He is on the right side of issues such as land conservation, education, and good government by reforming the way the state apportions legislative districts. He is also pro-choice and pro-labor.
Finally, he has the ability to run statewide and win. In his run for attorney general in 2005, he lost to McDonnell by 300 votes. This translates into a statewide recognition with general election voters that neither Moran or McAuliffe possess. And importantly, Creigh's experience, name ID, views, and policy proposals will resonate extremely well in Virginia's battleground regions (the Richmond suburbs, Hampton Roads, and Fairfax County).
Much more ink has been spilled in the media writing about McAuliffe and Brian Moran, but I encourage you to take a look at (and tell your Virginia friends to vote for) Creigh Deeds for governor.