Well that was a depressing voting experinece (Northern VIrginia)

[Perky]

Affluent Competitive precinct in Norther Virgina, Got there at 8 am No line. Ballot number was 145 after the polls has been open for two hours. A year ago, I would have been Ballot number 2,000.

Still the numbers suggest that the GOP is not getting out large numbers either. Deeds ran a lack luster campaign (and I am being charitable) And McDonnell was smart enough to run down the middle and avoid being tied to the Tea Partyers.

We will see

[BonnieJW]

1. We'll be going after work.

How disappointing Deeds was during the campaign. I think we're in for another Jim Gilmore for governor. How awful.

[Onlooker]

2. Hopefully this will be a lesson to Obama

Obama, like Bush, is inspiring his political base, but many of the liberals who backed him, are no longer inspired by him. We're still in Afghanistan, Iraq, Guantanamo; we've done an enormous amount of good for Wall Street, but not Main Street; the health care legislation sounds like it will be just dandy for insurance companies; and Don't Ask/Don't Tell is alive and well.

As with Clinton, the Democrats under Obama are trying to expand by reaching to the center at the expense of the left. That strategy barely worked for Clinton and failed for Gore and Kerry. The Democrats were most successful when they reached out to the left, as they did under JFK, LBJ, and FDR.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

6. How do you figure that a win for the GOP (in Virginia)

is going to be some kind of referendum on his Presidency so far? :shrug: Are you suggesting that if President Obama had done all of the things that you just mentioned, does that mean that Deeds would've had a better chance of winning the race (irrespective of the quality of his campaign or any other variables)? Haven't the Democrats been in charge in Virginia during the last few years and is it that unusual for control of the statehouse to go back and forth between Republican and Democratic governors (in Virginia if not elsewhere)? :shrug: Frankly, I don't really see any of the off-year races this year serving as any kind of national referendum on President Obama- as much as the corporate media wants to make it seem that way just so they'll have a *story* to chew on for a few news cycles. :eyes: It WILL be very interesting to see what happens in the NY-23 race now that the "Republican" candidate has dropped out and endorsed the Democrat, however.
:evilgrin:

[Onlooker]

7. If this election was held last year ...

... I do not think a Republican could have won the Virginia governorship. The Obama campaign inspired enormous turnout and excitement because he seemed to represent a new vision for this country, and seemed to be someone who would forcefully confront the powers of evil in our own country. If he was still that man, I think liberals and Democrats would turn out in far larger numbers than the fractured Republicans could muster.

[fugop]

8. Apples to oranges

If Obama were on the ticket this year, Virginia still might go Democratic for its governor (in spite of Deeds' lousy campaign). And if Obama were on the ticket, you wouldn't see NJ even close on the governor. Quite simply, it's not a valid comparison to suggest that last year people came out for Obama and this year they're staying away because of him. He's NOT on the ticket this year. If he were, it would be a completely different election.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

11. Off-year elections typically have much lower turnout than Presidential Elections

There's nothing particularly unusual about that. Yeah, last year, with President Obama at the top of the ticket and in serious contention to win the state's electoral votes, we would have almost certainly won the governorship there as well. However, state elections are almost always about state issues and concerns (mostly about the economy) and gloomy economies typically generate anti-incumbent sentiment everywhere and, unfortunately, the Democrats were the last in charge in Virginia and will thus be *blamed*. I doubt that President Obama will be able to swing the election one way or another. Most voters are probably NOT voting for the GOP to send a "warning shot" to President Obama about his policies/presidency but I guess we'll just have to wait until the exit polling data is made available to see what the defining issue(s) turn out to be.

[Pirate Smile]

12. Virginia always flips to the non-Pres party after a Presidential election. It has happened in every

one of the last 8 elections. Virginia isn't about Obama. Deeds has sucked. He said he would Opt Out Virginia from the Public Option - that's a great way to get Democrats inspired to vote.

If Corzine manages to win, it will be because he has hugged Obama so close (which Deeds didn't do).

In NY23, the Dem shouldn't even be in the race.

Obama has to deal with how f#$ked up the Country is and people are bitching because it isn't fixed in 10 months. That is idiotic.

[goclark]

28. I thought I heard that several Presidents have experienced the same

thing.

After their election - some state Gov.'s Races were from the opposite party.

Think I heard that on Keith.

Watch, the M$M will play it as something brand new.

[Peacetrain]

10. Looking at the Virginia voting history.. Your assertion looks to be wrong..

Virginia historically votes opposite of the sitting party in DC..

[Arkana]

16. How do you figure?

You think Deeds getting his ass kicked is some kind of referendum on Obama? It couldn't be because he ran a shitty, lackluster campaign that utterly failed to drum up interest?

[TheKentuckian]

24. That logic works only if you just flat ignore Reagan

Clinton and the 3rd way was the only winnable strategy (and barely at that, even that wouldn't have been far enough to the right to win without Perot running) after Mondale and Dukakis got devastated. There was a tremendous pendulum swing in this country that we are only just on the cusp of reversing. The failure to find "inspiration" will have only one result which is to allow the right to remain viable.

The move back to the left will have to be sustained over a fairly substantial period to just correct for a generation of conservatism and if we can't get that into our heads then we have no chance and America will be far right for a long time. Folks better get on the bus, even if they must hold their noses or they will be looking at the undercarriage of the Far Reich's for a sizable chunk of their lives and we will all pay a heavy price.

[MadBadger]

29. Actually, I think the problem in VA is that many liberals who backed him are ONLY inspired by him.

They'll come out in 2012, but dont care about some VA governor's race.

[AspenRose]

32. Obama isn't on the ballot for Governor of Virginia.

[VMI Dem]

3. They are turning out in droves down here for McDonnell.

Deeds was a disaster.

[yourguide]

23. god, are you on this board solely to trash deeds?

that's all you seem to talk about.

Stupid move not voting for him by the way, insanely stupid.

[fedupinBushcountry]

26. Where is down here?

Because if you're talking Virginia Beach (Pat Robertson's cult country) they didn't vote for Obama either. I thought Kaine was a disaster but he won, and I voted for him because I sure as hell didn't want Gilmore, and I surec as hell don't want McDonnell.

[VMI Dem]

27. SW VA.

[zulchzulu]

4. McDonnell would have to say he ran as a moderate Republican if he wins

The big joke will be Teabag Delusionists like Hannity, Limbaugh, Beck and O'Reilly who will try to spin that there is a "new Republican wave" coming and perhaps put video of Teabaggers as part of their opinion package.

The problem with that is that McDonnell steered totally clear from the Teabaggers. If he wins, it is because he rejected them.

[Mike Daniels]

9. McDonnell basically disowned his thesis during the campaign

which was full of all the social issues that the conservatives like to claim and he stuck more to economic issues through a center-right lens.

So, for Hannity and such to try to claim that McDonnell campaigned on social issues and won proving that the conservative message has been endorsed by the public is going to be seen as a big sack of ....

[fugop]

13. Now what will he do?

Over on TPM, there's a piece suggesting they're already looking to McDonnell for a presidential run. You have to figure if he swings right now, that wouldn't play well in the future. Well, you have to HOPE that's the case.

[countingbluecars]

15. Scary thought.

He is a fundie in moderate clothing.

[Perky]

18. That is an insane proposition, As Insane as Palin running for Prez last time

[AspenRose]

33. Oh great. They're wanting to pass George Allen's torch to McDonnell.

Just great. x(

I can see it now:

Huckabee, Palin and McDonnell as the top 3 picks for the GOP in 2012. Three christofascist wackadoodles.

Poor Mittens. Bet he feels like the odd man out. He almost looks sane in comparison.

[Efilroft Sul]

35. Here's a different take.

In the 2008 GOP primaries, who were the first candidates to bow out? Hard-right types like Tancredo, Hunter, and Brownback. The rank-and-file GOP voters (if I am able to use a union term for their ilk) are not ultra-conservative and batshit crazy. Most are pro-business, social moderates supporting tax reductions and increased personal liberty. Those voters didn't fund those aforementioned candidates at all. The last of the hard-right types to stay in the race was Huckabee, who masqueraded as a moderate.

The hard-right types will duke it out to prove who's nuttier than squirrel shit to appease the teabaggers, but in the end I think these intramural squabbles will work out to Mittens' benefit.

Just another point of view. Peace to you.

[Peacetrain]

5. Well that off year voting populace tends to be the committed ..

Sometimes as Democrats, we do not follow up on the grunt work that it takes in the off season. God Bless you for getting out there.

[leveymg]

14. My wife voted about half an hour ago. Crowded with Democrats at our precinct.

I'll go in tonight and vote before I close the poll as an election observer for DPVA. Who knows. maybe we'll pull this one out?

[Perky]

17. Arlington?

[leveymg]

19. Just South. Still in VA-8

[old mark]

21. Great to hear that - thanks for voting and posting about it! nt

[Blue_Tires]

20. very thin here in Va. Beach...

took them longer to explain the voting machine than the time i spent in line...i think too many people just saw the results as a foregone conclusion and stayed home...

[Joe Chi Minh]

22. A small number, and I would fear a Republican win. I sure hope not,

though I've yet to read, down the page, what it's all about.

Listen to Old mark, and get your backsides down there, Dems!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

25. I live in Silver Spring, MD and looking for a home. No realtor has been able to persuade me

to move to NoVA, no matter how progressive the residents *claim* to be. I still think it's a pretty backwards state. Some parts of Maryland aren't that better, but I just cannot imagine going through that.

God bless you.

We shall see indeed.

[ohheckyeah]

30. I don't think Deeds ran a terrible campaign.

Deeds just is who he is and he did win the Democratic Primary.

I believe this all boils down to urban Virginia vs. rural Virginia. Northern VA is used to be top dog and getting a large amount of the money available. Rural VA is tired of that and it's a clash between the two in my opinion.

I'll go vote for Deeds in about an hour.

[Blue_Tires]

31. a bit more complex imo...

for urban areas there is the Northern VA political base, along with Richmond/C'Ville, Hampton Roads and Roanoke...for rural areas you can also the rural east, west and south...

[onenote]

34. People forget that Deeds lost to McDonnell four years ago.

At the same time Kaine was winning the governorship, McDonnell was defeating Deeds, albeit by the narrowest of margins and a repub was winning the Lieutenant Governor's race. Deeds did as well as he did largely because of Kaine's coattails, but they weren't enough. Running without anyone's coattails to help him, and with what can be charitably described as a lackluster campaign that relied far too heavily on negative attacks while McDonnell was running both negative attacks and warm fuzzy ads.

Its disappointing, but its not the end of the world.