I am reminded of an old Bobby Vinton record, ” Blue on Blue” …Blue on Blue, leart ache on heart ache…so on and so forth.
What’s the Cooch to do? He is the darling of the Religious Right and darling of the Tea Party. Ooops, big cross over on the old Venn Diagram with that one. Where does Tuesday’s election leave that bad-boy attorney general?
From the Washington Post:
Firebrand conservative Kenneth Cuccinelli, now attorney general, is running, upsetting the state Republican establishment that badly wants mild-mannered and reliable Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling as its gubernatorial candidate.
Cuccinelli, who has gained national attention for his strong positions against climate change, homosexuals and abortion, had been riding the Tea Party wave of distrust and resentment of government and mainstream politicians.
Those sentiments were very much in evidence in the 2010 congressional races but somehow wasn’t much of a factor Tuesday night. Nary a rattlesnake flag nor a tri-cornered hat seemed in evidence in last-minute campaign events.
Catching the shift, Cuccinelli appears to have toned down his profile from that of in-your-face social conservative to reasonable attorney general. One example: Cuccinelli starred in a somber, straight-forward advertisement pushing the ballot’s Question 1 constitutional amendment that would put more restrictions on the state’s ability to use eminent domain to condemn private property. The issue may be dull as dishwater, but it passed.
Cuccinelli has been out there on most issues. He is the poster child for the definition of “extremist” to most people. Recently a contributor on BVBL.com spoke of him as such and the owner of that blog defied the person who made the comment to point out how Cuccinelli was extreme. That seemed like a no brainer to me. So, I toss the question to our readers. What makes Cuccinelli a firebrand and an extremist? He is going to try to be our next governor by cutting to the front of the line, ahead of Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, what say you?
This is a real no-brainer. Bill Bolling would have a chance in an increasingly moderate Virginia in a non-presidential election year. Cuccinelli plus perhaps Stewart as his running mate would result in the greatest debacle in a statewide race the Republicans have seen in decades.
That is what I would think…but I have already been told not to have an opinion on how Republicans operate.
I would so thoroughly enjoy a Cooch/Stewart trouncing! So happy and relieved VA went blue.
Does Stewart have to give up his seat on the BOCS to run?
NO. He can sit there and short change us till the cows come home.
@Lyssa
No, and he won’t. He’ll collect his PWC paycheck while campaigning full time for LG. Stewart was first elected Chair because Sean had the decency to resign as Chair to campaign for LG.
I’m actually in favor of Bolling with Cuccinelli staying as AG.
Cuckoo’s views toward women are much like the Taliban’s of Afghanistan. He will lead his party to another major butt whipping. The republican war on women continues.
While in the State Senate he put up a bill that said people born on US soil, of non-US citizens, should not get US citizenship. I can see the ads and mailers now. That alone will sink him as will his war on women’s reproductive rights and his waste of time on fighting Obamacare. I could go on but there is no need.
@Watching, we will be all over that like a duck on a bug when he sticks his head out.
That ought to make him popular with all the Latinos. NOT!
Cooch is a piece of work to put it nicely. I would NEVER vote for that guy in a million years!! Only a person trapped in the 1940’s would vote for him. Or those that long for a world of decades gone by.
HT – just for the sake of accuracy, Connaughton ran for LG while still Chairman. He later resigned when President Bush appointed him to be United States Maritime Administrator. Connaughton had (and has) a lot of good sense, human decency and devotion to public service (absolute mountains of it compared to virtually anyone else on the Virginia political scene), but he did occupy the PWC Chairman position while running for Lieutenant Governor.
@Scout
Thanks for the correction. My main point was that Cuccinelli and Stewart are unelectable statewide, even though they might succeed in getting nominated. Most Virginians, including a great many sensible Republicans, want a governor focused on practical matters like jobs, education and taxes. I don’t even know what a “trans-vaginal ultrasound” is much less what it has to do with governing the state and creating jobs. Sounds to me like something that should stay in the realm of doctors rather than politicians.
I’ll predict now that if the race is Warner v. Cuccinelli that Warner wins by at least 10 points.
I agree. Cuccinelli and Stewart are unelectible statewide. (for different reasons) Ultra-sound has absolutely NO business in government or being a requirement for a legal procedure.
Right now, the democratic nominee will probably be Terry Mcauliffe. Warner has a job. I think McAuliffe would beat Cuccinelli. McAuliffe policies are fairly unknown because his claim to fame is running campaigns. Cuccinelli’s are very well known and highly ridiculed on a national as well as state level.
He will have to have a real make over that includes erasing the memories of moderate conservatives, moderates, progressives and liberals in Virginia.
I don’t like McAuliffe. He’s a carpet-bagger in Virginia (just like a certain County Chairman), and comes across to me as a sleazy used-car salesman. He won’t get many Republican votes. I bet the democrats wish they had two Mark Warners. Warner is popular among Democrats and has earned the respect of many Republicans as a pragmatic, pro-business leader. Lots of Republicans “pull the lever” for Warner.
Bolling versus McAuliffe would be a fight, with a good chance of Bolling winning. Cuccinelli would have to get beyond his nutty baggage to stand a chance against McAuliffe. I’d call that race 50-50. I have heard that Warner is considering a run for governor again because he’s not happy in the Senate.
So who has been here longer? Cuccinelli or McAuliffe, speaking of carpetbaggers?
You might want to read up on McAuliffe.
http://www.terrymcauliffe.com/a-commitment-to-virginia
Isn’t there a stronger Democrat than McAuliffe to run as governor? Seems to me that Cuccinelli is likely to win the nomination, and the Democrats could have virtual sure-win with a pragmatic candidate who has substantial business experience or solid experience in another elected office. Also, someone who has lived in Virginia longer and didn’t move here apparently just to run for office.
McAuliffe is a northern Virginia businessman. He has lived in Virginia at least 20 years, maybe longer. Lafayette and I are the ones who go all pedigree on Virginians. I certainly don’t think he moved here just to run for office. He sure wasted a lot of time if he did.
At any rate, he has declared, with Warner’s blessing. Don’t forget, he has the Clintons at his disposal.
No VA Dem is going to mess with Bill. I bet Clinton shows up at the Richmond JJ dinner to make that point.
20 years in The Commonwealth or PWC, means you are no longer a newcomer. Mr. Lafayette, says that I think he hasn’t lived here long enough (8yrs) to have voting rights in the county. LOL
Personally, I would much prefer to see Warner run if Cooch got the nomination. I believe any D running in our state should have Bill C at their disposal. Virginia is a purple state. The D’s statewide can’t allow themselves to fall into the state of the affairs the D’s in PWC have.
I still think the Cooch has one hell of nerve not following the plan of the R’s in our state. Corey and Cooch should battling it out for Lt. Gov.. If anyone has/had ever seen him in the courtroom, they would know what a fool he can be. I saw him get his a$$ handed to him on a silver plater in PW. This was after he was advised “Ken, don’t do this. You will LOOSE and get an earful from the judge.” from another lawyer/friend of his.