FINALLY a bit of a story about Wayne Powell's race!

[elleng]

Hanover County remained loyal to the Republican ticket by giving Allen 38,411 (65.63 percent) of the votes to Kaine’s 19,995 (34.16 percent). There were 119 (0.20 percent) write-in votes.

Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor held on to his seat with 222,429 (58.42 percent) to Democrat Wayne Powell’s 157,406 (41.34 percent) in the 7th District. Write-in votes totaled 886 (0.23 percent).

“The 7th Congressional District Democratic candidate, Wayne Powell, was able to hold the vote for Eric Cantor below 60 percent, in a district gerrymandered to guarantee a 70 percent vote,” Silver said. “That’s progress and it tells Mr. Cantor that he must compromise if he wants to keep his seat.”

“There is no doubt that Hanover is still a Republican county,” he continued, “but I am so proud of the Hanover Democratic Committee’s grassroots efforts.”

According to Silver, volunteers greeted voters and distributed sample ballots at nearly all of the county’s 37 precincts.

“So I feel as though we are making headway and voters are beginning to realize that Democrats, not Republicans, represent the best interests of Hanover County citizens. And Virginians are beginning to realize that the GOP has become too extreme on many social issues and they are rejecting the intrusive nature of Republican policies,” Silver said.

http://www.mechlocal.com/index.php/news/article/county_holds_to_republicans_while_dems_celebrate_victories/8414/

[GitRDun]

1. A disappointing loss, but a fight worth fighting...

I saw Mudcat Saunders interviewed on the Stephanie Miller show. The quote I remember was him saying a pollster telling him Cantor has lost that 41% for good.

Not sure if Powell plans to run again, but given Cantor's dubious role in the Petraeus affair and the Republicans generally continued instransigence, a good candidate like Powell can definitely get there.

My best to him and all of you who worked on that campaign!

[elleng]

2. Thanks. Hoping to encourage him to run again.

There is thought that there were intentional games played in a 'fertile' part of the district, the new section of the district. The South and SW side of spotsy got moved to VA 7 while the other half remained in the old district. A friend is sure the mistake was intentional.

[obxhead]

5. The problem with Spotsylvania county

was not the move so much as the ballots within that area. As you said the S/SW half of Spotsylvania county was moved to VA 7 from VA 1 with the gerrymandering move in 2010. Splitting a county between 2 districts seems kind of silly to me, but for all I know it may very well be a common occurrence throughout the US.

Many of the voters in the new VA 7 areas voted on ballots for VA 1 areas. So how many people in Spotsy were supposed to vote in the Cantor/Powell race but received the improper ballots? I couldn't answer that, surely it wasn't enough to turn the tide of this election, but it's a noteworthy problem. It very well have changed the overall percentages to look even WORSE for Cantor.

Was it intentional? I have no proof, but I think Cantor's team could see the way the tea leaves were blowing. I wouldn't put it past R's in the area intentionally making a "mistake" with the ballots in order to support Mr "end all public aid" Cantor.

[StrayKat]

3. Yup, thanks. . .

to Powell and his campaign for standing up to Cantor. I'm not in that district, but Powell seemed like a solid candidate.

[DCKit]

4. Thanks for that. Would be happier if Powell had kicked Cantor's ass...

But I'm pretty sure Cantor had a bad week because of the close election.