The comparison of Gillespie’s near-win in 2014 with the wave in 2008 is a false one. There is no Republican in the country that could’ve come in and come close to defeating Warner that year. Warner, who benefited from the economic recovery in 2003-05 during the Bush administration, was seen as a near-deity at the time. Tennessee fortunately is not a swing state.. Virginia was, and the Obamalove wave, coupled with the infestation in the north from DC and Maryland, tipped it into the “blue” column.
I’m not saying Warner could’ve been defeated in 2008. I’m saying that a first-tier candidate who ended up getting 1/3rd of the vote while McQueeg got a dozen points more demonstrates that this individual should permanently retire from electoral politics. Period.
BTW, please don’t use the post-2000 media newspeak colors. Blue is the Conservative color. Red is the epitome of leftism. Take their usage back by using them correctly.
Northern Virginia is not Maryland. It’s El Salvador.