To those who worried about the DLC and "Terry McAwful", how ya feeling this fine day?

[11 Bravo]

The next Governor of Virginia will be a product of Pat Robertson's Regent University, and following along on his coattails, the individual who will be enforcing the Comnmonwealth's laws is one Mr. Ken Cuccinelli, quite possibly the most dangerous right-wing lunatic ever elected to state-wide office. "The Cooch" has already made it clear that he will decline to enforce laws with which he personally disagrees. Since he is already on record as describing homosexuality as "wrong" and "unnatural", as well as being opposed to abortion under ANY circumstances, including rape and incest; it should make for an interesting four years.
Was Terry McAuliffe my ideal candidate? No, but he is looking pretty fucking good to me right about now.

[rudy23]

1. That's exactly why candidates shouldn't run to the center and dare their base to stay home.

Threatening the base with "who are going to vote for, a Republican?" is a LOSING strategy as we saw last night.

[rudy23]

2. Another pro-DLC post on DLC Underground.

This place just isn't the same.

[mod mom]

7. I agree! Terry McAuliffe wouldn't have gotten out the Af Am & Progressive vote

with his corporate stances. The reason there was such great turn out in '08 was there was a HOPE that change (as in government working for the people instead of corporate interest) would occur! McAuliffe, proved who side he was on and the voters rejected him.

[Warpy]

3. He wouldn't have won, either,

although his name recognition might have tightened the numbers ever so slightly.

Face it, nobody is going to get particularly excited about a business as usual candidate.

Business as usual is killing us.

[Recursion]

4. Feeling like McAwful would have lost too

You?

[11 Bravo]

8. I think he was more electable than Creigh Deeds.

Don't get me wrong, I've met Creigh and he's a decent guy. But the base was not going to get excited about a pro-gun, and (tepidly) pro-life candidate.

[Recursion]

18. Well, I'm a 2nd amendment democrat...

...so we probably won't get anywhere on the gun issue. I haven't lived in VA for several years so I can't really comment on the election, other than to express my doubt that McAuliffe would have brought the base out or won over moderate republicans.

[11 Bravo]

20. I own two long guns and two hand guns. We would have no issue there.

I was just speculating as to what would motivate that ephemeral thing called "the base".

[Recursion]

23. Maybe I wasn't clear; I didn't think lack of "the base" was the problem

I think all of our heavy hitters were sitting this one out, and this is what happens when they do that.

[VMI Dem]

5. Yeah, we showed old Terry didn't we?

Deeds? Jesus.

[eleny]

6. The fact that Virginians voted in such radical right wingers is the troubling issue

Not so much how someone like me from Colorado feels about McAuliffe. I mean, what the hell are they thinking? In a way, I feel sorry for them. Maybe Dems all over will realize how serous elections can be even when they're off-off year elections.

[11 Bravo]

9. You got me. I'm still shaking my head over KEN FUCKING CUCCINELLI!

[eleny]

11. Btw, I don't blame the base

The base came out to vote. But if those new voters didn't see the importance, it might be a serious lesson.

I'm one of those people who always votes no matter what. Made easier by how we can vote by mail even if we aren't out of state at election time. I'd like to see mail-in ballots more widespread. It would help participation.

[atreides1]

13. But Ken was endorsed

By the FOP, who evidently don't believe in enforcing laws they don't agree with either.

[peacebird]

12. the average Virginian was never presented with the fact that these guys were so out of mainstream

They ran as MODERATES and the media presented them as MODERATES.

The partisans knew their true stripes but the average Virginian who gets their news from M$M did not.

[atreides1]

16. And what does that tell us?

That the average Virginian is more brain dead then a monster in a zombie movie!!!

The facts were there, the "average" Virginian was just too fucking lazy to go and find them.

And no, I'm not an "average" Virginian, I'm a transplant from Arizona. Moved here 4 years ago and I thought when Kaine was elected that the IQ of Virginians was much higher, needless to say I overestimated.

[11 Bravo]

17. The Post ran a series of articles about McDonnell and called Cucccinelli an outright embarrassment.

Yet McDonnell still carried Fairfax County. I just don't get it.

[eleny]

19. Well, the truth will be out sooner than later

[peacebird]

10. and you think McAwful would have fared better because...?

I truly don't see why you think more people would have voted for Terry than Creigh? The base was not energized to get out and vote for a conservative dem.

Before you rip my head off <full disclosure> I VOTED FOR DEEDS.

I would not have voted for McAwful.

[Zodiak]

14. It is not the onus of the voter to strategize

It is the part of the party to do that and they didn't....they tried to work in another corporatists masquerading as a "centrist", and it inspired no one.

Wanna blame someone? Blame the Democratic party for starving the progressives and coddling the corporatists. In one year they have managed to atomize an energized base. That is not the fault of the base...it is the fault of those who thought they could count on the base with nothing to offer but a brand-name.

Next time the party should wise up and stop taking their base for granted. I suspect they will not, though. Too much money in fake "centrism" and I am not entirely convinced the Democrats really want power...just the seat.

[budkin]

15. Feeling just fine, thanks for asking. Terry would have gotten crushed too.

[11 Bravo]

21. And you base this eminently erudite prognostication based on living in Austin, Texas?

Pray, tell me more about the machinations of Virginia politics. I've only lived here for 45 of my 58 years, and have worked for campaigns on the town, county, and state level. Enlighten me.

[joeybee12]

22. He would have at least run a better campaign...

...hell, he couldn't have run a worse one.

[KamaAina]

24. McAwful kneecapped Moran by splitting the NoVA vote in the primary

Moran would have been the best of the lot.

[Stinky The Clown]

25. In my view, the best candidate was Brian Moran

McCauliffe was not a good choice

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

26. I voted for Moran in the primary.