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mahatmakanejeeves

(56,897 posts)
Mon Oct 23, 2017, 01:22 PM Oct 2017

National Democrats are jittery about Virginia governor's race

Retweeted by Dave Weigel: https://twitter.com/daveweigel

.@TomPerez: "Demographics is not destiny. Organizing is destiny."



National Democrats are jittery about Va. governor’s race

By David Weigel and Ed O'Keefe October 22 at 6:26 PM
LAS VEGAS — The Democratic National Committee gathered here over the past week with one worry on every activist’s mind: We’d better not lose the Virginia governor’s race.

It’s a surprising case of the jitters over a place that hasn’t elected a Republican to statewide office in eight years — and that voted resoundingly against Donald Trump last year. But nationally, Democrats haven’t won a marquee race since losing the presidency. They lag Republicans in fundraising. A loss for Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam against Republican Ed Gillespie on Nov. 7 could stir doubts about message and strategy just as the party is gearing up nationally for next year’s all-important midterm elections.

“We’re Ground Zero,” Susan Swecker, chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, said inside the Bally’s casino here, where party leaders and activists from all 57 states and territories gathered over the past few days. “All eyes are on us. I can understand that, because last year broke my heart.”

Less clear is whether the jitters will help — or whether a Northam victory gives Democrats any kind of road map for 2018. Leaders and activists spent a lot of time in Las Vegas talking about Nevada and Virginia, two increasingly urban and diverse states that bucked 2016’s Trump wave, as models for what every state party could achieve if they organized and elevated their activist base.
....

David Weigel is a national political correspondent covering Congress and grassroots political movements. He's the author of "The Show That Never Ends," a history of progressive rock music. Follow @daveweigel

Ed O’Keefe is a congressional reporter who has covered congressional and presidential politics since 2008. He previously covered federal agencies, the federal workforce and spent a brief time covering the war in Iraq. Follow @edatpost. Follow @edatpost
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National Democrats are jittery about Virginia governor's race (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Oct 2017 OP
leans more towards fake news than real news beachbum bob Oct 2017 #1
 

beachbum bob

(10,437 posts)
1. leans more towards fake news than real news
Mon Oct 23, 2017, 01:47 PM
Oct 2017

democrats have won overwhelming number of state seats held previously by republicans the past 3 or 4 months in special elections, there are significantly greater numbers of democratic candidates now declaring for elected positions both at national and local levels who have collectedly out raised their republicans counterparts. Enthusiasm at the grassroots level is running significantly in favor of democrats. And the last poll released just last week had Northam up 12 pts over Gillespie.


don't see much signs of "jitters"

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