When will VA turn blue?

[Hokie]

Virgina is headed in the right direction. I think within the next two election cycles we will see Virginia move over to the good side in the presidential race. A lot depends on the candidates and having a real election not a rigged one, of course.

[clydefrand]

1. VA will turn blue when all of the rich folks become

far less rich which will be in the next 4 years.

[demnan]

2. This is a question of which areas

in Virginia will grow in population the fastest. You, like me, are probably living in dynamic Democratic (at least partially) Northern Virginia. There are liberal pockets in our state beyond the Occoquan River - just beyond, where I live, but they are not the majority. What makes your premis a possiblity is the housing market in Northern Virginia. If the Federal Government continues to provide jobs in this area, and people continue to move in from all areas of the country, you will see Prince William County, Stafford, Loudon and maybe even Rappahanock or King George go at least partially over into the Democratic column. Watch Prince William first. My suburban precinct went for the Democrats this time, last time for the Republicans. Why? The influx of people like me. Single people looking to buy affordable housing in the Washington area bought condos in Lake Ridge. They continue to build more and more of these condos around the Prince William Parkway, evolving the eventual urbanization of this suburban county. So watch Prince William - its' going to be a fascinating ride.

[ContraBass Black]

4. I think the youth of Manassas is going Left.

I fought loud and hard at Osbourn for years, and felt very much alone, but when I went back six months after my graduation, a strong Democratic club had formed.

[demnan]

6. They had an artlicle in the Potomac News

which broke down the vote from the precinct level. There were several precincts in Manassas and Manassas Park that went Democratic.

I'm repeating myself here but listen, if we all work in our own neighborhoods to effect a change it can happen. Don't wait for a Presidential election, work now in your local counties to help this effort. </off soap box>

[John Dark]

9. Loudoun is one weird schizo county

Living uncomfortably next door to Loudoun County, as I do, it's hard to perceive it as anything but a haven of beetle-browed knuckle-draggers. Especially since Herndon got dumped into the 10th Congressional district with Loudoun at the last Repug-dominated redistricting. I mean, this is the county whose slow-growth government was recently ousted by rapid-growth fanatics. Who actually chose of their own accord to impose internet filters on its public library computers. (Here in Fairfax County, the librarians told me their policy on kids accessing porno sites is to look the other way and let them browse to their heart's content.) Whose politicians want to outlaw gays from existing because the Bible says so.

However, the rapid-growth gang has segregated all newcomers into the densely developed eastern half of the county. Ashburn is the epicenter of the sudden booming influx. Any great Democratic hope will have to look to Ashburn and Sterling. (Frankly, I don't see it happening yet.)

The western half of Loudoun, which has the county seat Leesburg, isn't allowing anyone new in. This is where you're not welcome unless you drive a pickup truck with a gun rack. I am not exaggerating. (Ironically, there is a Pagan and Wiccan community that regularly gathers at a store in Leesburg. It's in the old 18th-century downtown of Leesburg, a tourist attraction which makes for a little liberal area of maybe two blocks or so.) Western Loudoun is so anti-growth, new housing developments are skipping over it entirely, and building clear out in West Virginia, a two-and-a-half hour commute from DC!!! I can't believe commuters actually go for this. But they may have to move out that far to find afforable real estate.

It's bizarre that the Loudoun government is now controlled by a radical right-wing pro-growth cabal, when their right-wing area of western Loudoun refuses to let any newcomers in. County services are strained to the limit, but the rabid anti-tax cult now foaming at the mouth in Virginia is determined to kill off whatever services might remain, all the while eastern Loudoun is packing in new residents it can't handle.

That old Repug dinosaur Frank Wolf continues to win re-election to Congress, thanks to Loudoun. For that matter, the Lyndon LaRouche cult has its headquarters in Leesburg. I have never seen a county that makes less sense. demnan, I hope your prediction of a Democratic Loudoun comes true in my lifetime. It would be nice to have sane neighbors for a change.

[Virginian]

10. Welcome to DU John Dark

I am also in Frank Wolf's part of Fairfax, which precinct are you in?

[John Dark]

11. I'm in Dranesville 2

Thanks for the welcome, Virginian! I'd been lurking here at DU for years, and finally decided to join the community. In these grim times, we cherish all the more any community support we can get.

There was a polling place fuckup here in Herndon on November 2 that affected my wife and me. The county board of elections switched our precinct, but neglected to inform us about it. We recently received cards that told us our precinct was Dranesville 1, where we have voted in every single election for the past several years. Most recently, the Town election in May.

This time, we got there at 6:05 AM when the line was already out the door. Waited in line for an hour, only to be told that we weren't on the list of registered voters. Then were told we had to vote in precinct 2. So we went there and waited in line another hour. We reported the fuckup to the Democratic legal observer there, and she said it had happened to a lot of people that morning. I hate to think how many gave up after their first attempt. My wife was going to give up after we were turned away at precinct 1, and with some effort I persuaded her to try again.

[newscaster]

3. WHEN THEY STOP BREATHING

:hurts:

[RPM]

5. they will only stop when they forget to do so... n/t

[funmom]

7. Inner Burbs went to Kerry

Inside the beltway areas like North Arlington, McLean, Falls Church went big time for Kerry and they are very wealthy areas. In fact a lot of Pentagon, CIA and Capital Hill families populate the inner VA burbs. My neighborhood was a sea of Kerry signs. I always thought it was funny that the BUSH campaign headquarters for VA was in the Lyon Park/Courthouse part of North Arlington. That precinct probably went 70% Kerry and just across the river...well way to go DC at 90% Kerry.

[no_hypocrisy]

8. When Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson are exiled to Elba or Devils Island.

[edsdesk]

12. Gov Warner will have no sway over this Statehouse

It will take a national tide of guilt and failure to change this state, since the military has such a stranglehold on the regional economy. Virginia is far too populous in the rural ares to allow liberal dominance until they run low on sons to send to war.

Sad, but evident today.

[VaYallaDawg]

13. We'll probably all turn blue

from trying to hold our breaths to avoid smelling the you-know-what just over the Potomac.

[vixannewigg]

14. Richmond

I live in the Richmond area, and I was pleasantly surprised by the county results. Richmond city went very much to Kerry (which was not surprising) but Henrico (where I live) was relatively close. It did go to Bush, but not as heavily as I would have thought with all of the obnoxious Bush/Cheney bumper stickers I see around here. Chesterfield and Hanover (two more rural counties with growing populations) went very much for Bush though.

This area is definitely growing as well. I just hope we get more northerners. :)

[ernstbass]

15. Va will turn blue

whenever Northern VA gets enough population. I just don't see other parts of the state going blue.

[DjTj]

16. Petersburg: 82% Kerry; Charlottesville: 72% Kerry

The two bluest counties aren't in NoVa...

We're coming from all over: Richmond, Tidewater, and the SW really likes Warner...

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/VA/P/00/map.html

[Poor Richard Lex]

18. Don't forget Fredericksburg!

went for Kerry 54%!

[Zynx]

17. VA had the highest percent of any southern state for Kerry outside FL.

That's a big achievement.

[ElectroPrincess]

19. I think Stafford County AKA - Paradise for the Beltway Bandits

will stay RED for awhile (at least 2010 and hope - a Democrat as President). Those boys (and girls) are sittin' pretty with all the Military Industrial contracting that is seemingly endless "cash cow." :(