The 2005 Virginia GOP Ticket: Kilgore/Bolling/McDonnell
By Walt Posted in Elections — Comments (5) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
GOP voters in Virginia have decided the slate that they will offer for election this November. As expected, former AG Jerry Kilgore won the gubernatorial nomination and Del. Bob McDonnell (R-Va. Beach) won the AG nomination. Sen. Bill Bolling (R-Mechanicsville) appears to have won the nomination for lieutenant governor.
So what does it all mean?
Kilgore will be a very good candidate for the GOP as we enter the fall campaign. He is energetic, is presenting his ideas in a coherent format to Virginia voters, and he appeals to the inherent conservatism of Virginia voters. He will also do very well in rural Virginia, thereby preventing Democratic gubernatorial nominee Tim Kaine from repeating Warner's 2001 victory.
Moreover, all of the GOP nominees appeal to the party's base, and this will be helpful in getting out the vote in November.
One final note: The as-yet-unheard-of Sen. Ken Cuccinelli (R-Fairfax) has been instrumental in Virginia politics over the past few years. A true conservative, he has done a great deal to further conservative causes in the GOP, including fighting the 2002 sales tax increases and backing conservative candidates in this primary. Look for him to be a candidate in 2009 for either the lieutenant governorship or the AG's office.
Update [2005-6-14 23:9:19 by Walt]: Some targeted GOP incumbents won renomination today. They had been challenged because they had supported a tax increase in the 2004 General Assembly session. I have read on some sites that their victory means that the "anti-taxers," as some derisively call those who believe in fiscal discipline, "lost," thereby vindicating Mark Warner's "centrist" way of raising taxes in tough fiscal times. I will perhaps get on the wagon with those who argue this when I see politicians campaign on raising taxes and then win. Until then, I think observers would be wise to chalk these victories up to the power of incumbency.
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The 2005 Virginia GOP Ticket: Kilgore/Bolling/McDonnell 5 Comments (0 topical, 5 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
Can the VA peeps comment on the LG race. The GOV race seems to be in our favor right now although it won't be a blow out. The LG race is two lesser known candidates. I saw some Kossites excited about Byrne, so I'm guessing she was the leftist in the crowd. Is she far enough outside the VA mainstream that we needn't worry? What's her background?
Also, who is the DEM AG candidate? How does McDonnell stack up?
Byrne is generally considered to be the most liberal of the bunch, which would explain why dKos people are into her. The thing about the Lt. Gov. position is that it's often considered a springboard to the governor's office, but in the case of Byrne, very few people seem to think that, even if she won this time, she has any ability to win an election for Governor.
I think for some incumbents it had more to do with the incumbency and a lot to do with the fact that, in the particular race in my district, the challenger ran a very negative campaign and the voters didn't seem to like that (as expressed not only with the election results but also editorials in the paper).
Overall, I am pleased with the Kilgore/Bolling/McDonnell ticket but I respectfully disagree with Walt on Kilgore's "Honest Reform" campaign. It lacks focus on keys issues like lower taxes and conservative social issues. Sounds like government mush. He needs a bolder conservative message. Once again Republicans will lose big-time in Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads, plus all the other urban areas.
Kilgore's best hope is to fully engage Ken Mehlman and Karl "the Jedi" Rove. They can pull him through.
Byrne will help make Kaine look like a moderate. Bad for us.
I largely agree with your assessment of the GOP ticket, as well as your mention of Sen. Cuccinelli.
Cuccinelli is a strong conservative, and he'll make a great candidate...for LG, I hope. Who knows, I might decide to run for AG next time around.