Unexpected Candidacy Upends Virginia Democrats Plans for Key Governor Race

[brooklynite]

Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — Tom Perriello, the former congressman from Virginia, is making a surprise entry into his state’s governor’s race, disrupting Democrats’ well-laid plans in what promises to be the most-watched election in the country this year.

Mr. Perriello on Wednesday telephoned Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam, who had been widely presumed to be the party’s nominee, to tell him he was entering the race, according to three Democrats directly familiar with the conversation.

Mr. Perriello, a State Department official who is close to President Obama, is expected to announce his intention on Thursday to compete in the June 13 Democratic primary. He did not respond to a voice mail and text message. Mr. Northam could not be reached, either.

By entering the race to succeed Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat who is limited to a single term, Mr. Perriello will hinder Mr. McAuliffe’s effort to avert a contentious primary. Leading Democrats have sought to clear the field for Mr. Northam, hoping to give him a head start in fund-raising and organization, while at least three Republicans vie for the nomination.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/04/us/tom-perriello-virginia-governor.html?_r=0

[LisaM]

4. I know, can't they hold their powder?

We can't lose any governors.

[msongs]

2. yeah lets run a guy who lost his last election and was booted nt

[phylny]

22. Perriello was my congressman in a blood red Congressional district here in Virginia.

He ousted Virgil Goode, a good-old-boy who had power and standing. It was amazing that he even won here, and he did a good job representing us.

[elleng]

23. Thanks. Glad to hear something concrete about Perriello.

[Jake Stern]

3. Wow an "establishment" guy throwing the monkey wrench against the party's anointed one.

Didn't think I'd see that.

[elleng]

5. Is there a good, substantive reason to 'clear the field for Mr. Northam?,'

in the face of other/another eligible/rational Dem contender?

What do 'leading Democrats' have to say? Perriello 'close to President Obama?'

[Dawson Leery]

7. Northam is best suited for the fall election.

[elleng]

8. Why?

[Feeling the Bern]

9. Because the DNC decided it. Didn't we learn anything in November? What the DNC wants, the DNC gets

[elleng]

10. That's why I asked, and

HOPED for a substantive reason!

[Feeling the Bern]

11. Party over principle.

[elleng]

12. and we are so f*cked,

(as we are.)

[Feeling the Bern]

13. 2018 is going to be a bloodbath. We're going to get thumped

The Democrats still haven't found their spine and insist upon taking the high road, which to the "common" asshole American makes the Democrats sound aloof and elitist.

They refuse to attack the Republicans the way the Republicans attack them, and when a Democrat does (Allan Grayson for one), the Democrats commit political cannibalism.

The media is squarely in the tank of the GOP (print, online, radio, TV, cable). And the Democrats do really nothing to stop it. There is absolutely no fight in them. If one has fight, they are quickly expelled, usually over stupid shit like sex. Yet, the GOP rallies around those in sex scandals (look at Mark Sanford and David Vitter).

We are fucked beyond fucked. But, at least it's party over principle. That's why there is so much Sanders hate.

[elleng]

14. Dems have to adopt new and effective leadership,

and policies. Have taken a step in that direction with Senator Sanders with Schumer. Still have to appoint official dnc leadership, which will happen in Feb., I think.

[Feeling the Bern]

15. Ellison! We need to remember our Great Society, New/Fair Deal roots!

We need to be the party of LBJ/FDR again, not the part of Eisenhower and the DLC.

[elleng]

16. Yes, Ellison sounds good,

and as he's supported by Senators Sanders and Schumer, better.

The other candidates have same plans as he does; heard on interview/debate with them all 10 days ago. Need a full-timer, imo, and Ellison was considering giving up his congressional seat to serve DNC full time.

[RBInMaine]

17. Oh come on. Dooming and glooming at this extremely early date is very extreme. Give it time.

[Feeling the Bern]

18. I wasn't the only one saying it. Electoral-vote.com said it too, and what bothers me

is when you aren't famous or noteworthy, like Van Jones or that group, and you make prediction, you are instantly poo-pooped and tld condescending drivel like I was just told.

Sorry I'm not a pronosticator on cable news. I'm just a screenwriter and film producer.

[Arazi]

20. Yup. Learned nothing in 2016

Sucks

[mahatmakanejeeves]

19. "... limited to a single term...."

Ummm, not quite. You can serve more than one term as governor, but you can't serve consecutive terms. See: Mills Godwin.

Mills Edwin Godwin Jr. (November 19, 1914 – January 30, 1999) of Chuckatuck, Virginia, was an American politician who was the 60th and 62nd Governor of Virginia for two non-consecutive terms, from 1966 to 1970 and from 1974 to 1978.

In his first term, he was a member of the Democratic Party, and was the last Virginia governor elected as a part of the Byrd Organization, the conservative Democratic establishment that dominated the state's politics for over three decades. He was succeeded by A. Linwood Holton Jr., the first non-Democratic governor in over 80 years. By 1973, when he ran for a second term, Godwin had switched to the Republican Party, as the dominance of the Democrats in Virginia politics receded and the Byrd political machine had disintegrated. He was the first governor in the history of the United States to be elected as both a Democrat and a Republican.

"This here paper's from New York City!"

[DeminPennswoods]

21. contested primaries can be fine

if the candidates lay out their positions and priorities. Two years ago when Corbett was up for re-election, Dems had 3 or 4 candidates running to oppose him. They all stuck to discussing policy and we ended up with a good candidate in Tom Wolf who won!

IIRC, Perillo is a high character guy. Maybe that will be exactly the kind of candidate who attracts voters the year after being bombarded by news of non-stop Trumpian grifting.