Tomorrow's big contest is Virginia, were VA netroots favorite (and my own) Jim Webb takes on former corporate lobbyist Harris Miller.
It's one of those campaigns were both the local netroots and establishment agree on the better candidate -- like the folks over at Raising Kane who love the hard-charging fighting Dem, as well as establishment Democrats like Chuck Schumer and John Kerry. Kerry wrote over at HuffPost:
The people calling the shots in Washington have a habit of treating veterans and members of the military as terrific backdrops for their speeches, but they don't listen to them about what they're seeing on the ground as they serve (witness the body armor ordeal,) they ignore the lessons military men and women learned in uniform (just ask General Shinseki,) and, judging by Bush policies they certainly don't pay any attention to their needs when they come home (they tolerate billion dollar shortfalls in veterans funding.)
They won't be able to ignore Senator Jim Webb. Jim won't tolerate that garbage when he's in the United States Senate, and I pity the Republican or bureaucrat who gets on his bad side.
One of the main knocks against Webb is that he's a former Republican. And, in fact, a former Secretary of the Navy under Ronald Reagan.
Far from a bad thing, this is exactly what we want: Republicans realizing that if they truly want a better America they need to switch to the Democrats. Republicans realizing that America's security isn't being strengthened, but weakened by the party of CIA agent outings and the Dubai ports deal.
There are lots of ex-Republican Democrats out there. I'm one of them. Jim Webb is another. And over time, we'll get more. And there's no stronger messenger for that cause than Jim Webb himself.
Harris Miller seems nice enough, but as a lobbyist (and one that gave extensively to Republicans), he's not exactly a great messenger on corruption and clean government issues.
I'll be blunt. If Harris Miller wins, there probably won't be much of a Senate race in Virginia in November. If Webb wins, this race will catapult to the top second-tier and could become a top-tier race before long.
At this point, it's in the hands of Virginia Democrats. Turnout should be dismally low. Let's see who has the more motivated ground troops.
Update: The Roanoke Times:
In Tuesday's Democratic primary to select the opponent to challenge first-term U.S. Sen. George Allen, we urge support for James Webb, author, former Navy secretary and Vietnam War hero.
Webb's opponent, lobbyist and political activist Harris Miller of Fairfax, has a long and distinguished record in serving his party.
Either Webb or Miller would be a vast improvement over the disappointing service of Allen, whose almost sycophantic enabling of the Bush administration's most troubling policies has ill-served Virginia and the American people.
In all candor, we believe a most necessary change requires Webb's nomination.
Our recommendation rests on the conclusion that Webb personifies a keen intellect and an authentic identification with the "little guy." His military background and early independence of mind to conclude that the war in Iraq was ill-advised boost his credibility in a state that prizes military service.
Those character traits will resonate with the same Virginians, regardless of party, who in recent elections have recognized practical political wisdom in such Democrats as Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.
Webb holds the greatest hope for retiring Allen, which would be a great service in itself.
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