In its endorsement for the Democratic primary in Virginia's gubernatorial race, the Washington Post bypassed the two Northern Virginia candidates and endorsed Creigh Deeds. Deeds is widely perceived as the most conservative candidate in the primary, but the Post's endorsement makes the case to Democratic primary voters that Deeds' record is more complex and, in some cases, more liberal than this perception.
It focuses, though, on the question of political courage. Deeds has it, the endorsement argues:
In 18 years in the General Assembly, Mr. Deeds has time and again supported measures that might be unpopular with his rural constituency but that are the right thing to do, for Northern Virginia and the state as a whole. He has demonstrated an understanding of the problems that matter most, the commitment to solve them and the capacity to get things done.
And, it continues, his opponents have not shown such willingness to make difficult decisions, for one reason or another. Terry McAuliffe is an unproven quantity whose "promises have been as expansive as his personality, and he has offered no realistic way to foot the bill." Meanwhile,
Mr. Moran has a solid record as a lawmaker and has earned respect from colleagues in both parties. It's hard, though, to point to an instance when he made the politically difficult choice. Mr. Moran's positions seem to have evolved for the primary campaign: He's moved left of Mr. McAuliffe and Mr. Deeds in opposing both offshore drilling and a coal plant in Surry County.
Recent polling has put McAuliffe in the lead, but two of the three most recent polls show Deeds with some momentum:SUSA and PPP give Deeds momentum; Research 2000 for Daily Kos shows McAuliffe alone gaining. Moran's flat performance in all three recent polls, combined with losing the Post's endorsement to Deeds despite Moran's long record as a NoVa legislator, suggests his campaign is in real trouble. What's certain is that this is no longer a race between Moran and McAuliffe, with Deeds as an afterthought.