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Fearing a lost governor’s race, Virginia Republicans confront party divide
The Washington Post ^ | Published: | Paul Schwartzman

Posted on 10/14/2013 8:47:37 PM PDT by Kenny

With just three weeks remaining before the election, Republican leaders in Virginia fear that their nominee, Ken Cuccinelli II, is on his way to losing the governor’s race and that the party will squander command of a state that is key to their quest to dominate next year’s midterm elections and the 2016 presidential race.

Distressed over a flurry of recent polls showing Democrat Terry McAuliffe with a solid lead, Virginia Republicans are talking about rebuilding their organization, which is suffering from deep internal rifts similar to those roiling the national party.

It’s a party that is disunited, in flux, in transition and defeated,” said Thomas M. Davis, the former Republican congressman. “We have nominated a ticket that Virginians don’t want to buy.”

While some Republicans say enough time remains for Cuccinelli to recover, Davis said that a defeat would require the party to confront like never before the division between the tea party activists who spurred Cuccinelli’s nomination and the moderates, independents and business leaders turned off by his conservative views on social issues.

That divide echoes the discord within the national GOP, now in full public view as congressional leaders struggle to end a federal shutdown connected to conservative activists seeking to defund the health-care law.

A Cuccinelli defeat in Virginia, Republicans fear, would give Democrats dominance in an important state as the two parties prepare for the 2014 midterm elections and the 2016 presidential race. Democrats would control the state bureaucracy and patronage appointments, which can drive fundraising.

“It sets the tone,” said Ralph Reed, a Republican strategist. “It’s an institutional advantage, no question.”

*** SNIP ***

With McAuliffe holding a decisive fundraising edge and the federal shutdown fueling voter anger, Republicans are afraid that time is running short for Cuccinelli to alter the race’s dynamics.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
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Cuccinelli’s campaign “won’t let Ken be Ken,” Kenney said. He noted Cuccinelli’s decision not to appear with Sen.Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) at a recent dinner in Richmond.

“The base wanted to see him link arms with Cruz,” Kenney said. “At some point you dance with the one who brung you. You stay true to your friends.”

Ya think?

1 posted on 10/14/2013 8:47:37 PM PDT by Kenny
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To: Kenny

It’s my understanding that Cuccinelli had absolutely no problem associating with Cruz.


2 posted on 10/14/2013 8:50:56 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: Kenny

RINOs are mostly loosers{sic].


3 posted on 10/14/2013 8:51:44 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: Gene Eric

Your understanding is not correct.


4 posted on 10/14/2013 8:52:47 PM PDT by tennmountainman (Just Say No To Obamacare)
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To: Kenny

The WaPo is trying to throw another VA election. They almost singlehandedly put Jim Webb in office.


5 posted on 10/14/2013 8:56:22 PM PDT by JohnBrowdie (http://forum.stink-eye.net)
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To: Kenny

There’s a libertarian candidate in the mix who together with Cuccinelli pull in far more voters than McAuliffe.

Cuccinelli is cowering to Northern Virginia which is filled with federal workers. I call it the beltway sewage leak into Virginia.

What Cuccinelli should do is immediately consult with Palin and Cruz to see how to unite with the libertarian faction.


6 posted on 10/14/2013 9:03:19 PM PDT by Hostage (Be Breitbart!)
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To: Kenny

The fact that McAuliffe, the one who sold golf games with Clinton, can be governor shows this country is lost.


7 posted on 10/14/2013 9:07:43 PM PDT by VerySadAmerican (".....Barrack, and the horse Mohammed rode in on.")
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To: Kenny

Years ago, I knew a Bircher who swore that the Obenshain plane crash in ‘78 was fishy. I laughed @ him.

But since, the VA GOP has been so retarded that I just wonder ...

Cuccinelli is the smartest guy they’ve run since Ollie was sabotaged. He’s being knifed also. I hate the VA GOP! I’d vote for Sarvis, but he’s the only dumb Libertarian I’ve run across. That’s another sad story!

I guess VA used up all its’ statesmen 200 years ago ... :(


8 posted on 10/14/2013 9:10:29 PM PDT by Forgotten Amendments (I remember when a President having an "enemies list" was a scandal. Now, they have a kill list.)
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To: Hostage

Ron Paul has endorsed Cuccinelli rather than the libertarian candidate: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3078343/posts


9 posted on 10/14/2013 9:12:42 PM PDT by Swirl
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To: Swirl

Somebody said a few days ago “VA is Stuck on Stupid”, and I think it will remain so for many years.


10 posted on 10/14/2013 9:23:48 PM PDT by Theodore R. (The grand pooh-bahs have spoken: "It's Jebbie's turn!")
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To: Swirl

RON PAUL’S ENDORSEMENT IS NOT ENOUGH.

CUCCINELLI SHOULD ENGAGE CRUZ AND PALIN TO NEGOTIATE A DEAL WITH ROBERT SARVIS AND HIS ORGANIZATION TO SHARE POWER.

SUCCESS MEANS VIRGINIA WILL BE RED IN 2016.

************************************
A poll from Christopher Newport University released this week shows McAuliffe leads Cuccinelli 47 percent to 38 percent among likely voters. But Sarvis was favored by 8 percent of likely voters.

In a Politico poll also released this week, McAuliffe draws 44 percent of the vote to Cuccinelli’s 35 percent, but Sarvis received 12 percent.

“If anything, it just shows he’s getting consistent support and it’s not going away from him as we get closer to Election Day, which is typically what happens to a lot of third-party candidates,” Skelley said.

http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/Libertarian-Candidate-Gains-Ground-in-Va-Governors-Race-226969911.html


11 posted on 10/14/2013 9:27:07 PM PDT by Hostage (Be Breitbart!)
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To: Kenny

Tom Davis is a perfect example of what is wrong with the Republicans nationwide.

Davis, an extremist RINO, is one of the most divisive people in politics. He is pro-abortion, pro-amnesty, pro-taxes. He attacks fellow Republicans more than Democrats. Davis was the Republican House Campaign Committee head when the Republicans lost the House in 2006.

He retired from Congress when he saw that his far left Republicanism would lose to a liberal Democrat, and parlayed it into a seven figure lobbyist job. His wife, a state senator advocating the same liberal Republican/Democrat lite policies as him has gone down in two smashing defeats.

Liberal voices like the Washington Post and the rest of the MSM love to trot him out to blast any conservative Republican. He and his liberal limousine RINO cohort just can’t stand conservatives in power in Virginia, and would rather lose than not have one of their own in charge.

If Cucinelli loses, in what should have been a slam dunk against a corrupt, incompetent buffoon like Terry McAuliffe, it is because of RINOs like Davis who would rather support Democrats than conservatives.


12 posted on 10/14/2013 9:29:42 PM PDT by oldbill
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To: Kenny

If anybody in “the base” was considering NOT voting for Ken, there is no hope for the base. Ken is the base. He doesn’t have to appear with Ted Cruz to prove himself.

Sometimes “the base” is an ass.

Frankly, a lot of the base actually does think the shutdown was an unwise strategy. It certainly isn’t helping to win election for a republican in a state that is dominated by federal employees.

Given the most-certain outcome that the shutdown will not acheive any of the stated aims, and will likely damage the ability to achieve those goals, it may be that Ken was a lot smarter than some of those in “the base”, and maybe we should have listened to him.

Anyway, the base would be stupid not to stand with the man who has stood with them for his entire career.

It would also be nice if the base would actually put it’s money into races — it is a shame that Ken is having to try to win this race with half the money Terri has to spread lies.


13 posted on 10/14/2013 9:37:18 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: Hostage

Ron Paul endorsed Ken for governor. I don’t think Ken needs help from Palin or Cruz to appeal to libertarians. He just needs libertarians not to be deceived by the “libertarian” who ran as a republican 2 years ago and who has been pretty much a non-player in tea party activism in Virginia until he decided to run for Governor.

If the base can’t get behind Ken, the base will be soundly thrashed and kicked out of the positions of power. “the base” captured control, and got their nominee, so they d*mn well better support him and give money and time and effort.

Just like the house — if the base turns on the house because the house couldn’t WIN an unwinnable battle, after the house sacrificed a good deal to support the base position, the base will never get considered again. You support your friends, you don’t listen to people who stab you in the back any time they are displeased.


14 posted on 10/14/2013 9:41:30 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: Forgotten Amendments

So, you think Cuccinelli is smart, and great, but is being ‘knifed’ by the republicans, so your response would be to vote for a dumb libertarian?

God only knows what you would do if you actually DIDn”T like a candidate.


15 posted on 10/14/2013 9:42:40 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: Kenny

Why doesn’t Tom Davis just STFU? He didn’t have the courage to face possibly losing after ‘06, so he just ‘retired,’ handing his seat over to a lowlife Dem. (OK, so what’s the difference between a lowlife Dem and a lowlife Repub like Davis? Not much.) Lately, he has taken every opportunity to come out and badmouth the party. Nary a bad word from Davis about the slime McAuliffe and how bad he would be for VA.


16 posted on 10/14/2013 9:42:59 PM PDT by EDINVA
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To: Kenny
"“It sets the tone,” said Ralph Reed, a Republican strategist opportunistic scumbag."

Fixed it.

17 posted on 10/14/2013 9:43:30 PM PDT by who_would_fardels_bear
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To: Hostage

Sarvis deserves to be left in the gutter of loser politicians. Not shilled or promised “power sharing”.


18 posted on 10/14/2013 9:43:44 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: oldbill

Hard to call any GOP candidate a slam dunk in a state that has become blue.


19 posted on 10/14/2013 9:44:21 PM PDT by Owen
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To: Kenny

Well they can try to out democrat the Democrats.


20 posted on 10/14/2013 9:46:42 PM PDT by Lurkina.n.Learnin (If global warming exists I hope it is strong enough to reverse the Big Government snowball)
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