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If Barone missed that, it's extremely sloppy research for one who's reputedly such a good analyst. OTOH if he knew it and ignored it to make his point, that's striking in its intellectual dishonesty.

Barone addressed Once-Ler's points in his article.

And I don't know that you could really call the Virginia GOP gov primary contested. The fact that there were two names on the ballot doesn't mean the result was even remotely in doubt. It's been a Kilgore-Kaine race for over a year.

Baron addressed Once-Ler's points in his article.

Could you point out where please? I've read the article 3 times now and I still can't find it.

And I don't know that you could really call the Virginia GOP gov primary contested.

I don't mean to argue semantics but 2 candidates for Gov on the Republican ticket for primary makes it a contested race. One candidate for rat gov is not a contest. It's irrelevant, anyways, because I never wrote anything like that nor meant to imply the VA Republican primary was a big contest. I merely wrote that the additional candidate on the Republican ticket generated interest in the primary. In fact it bolsters my argument, if most voters considered Kilgore the de facto Republican candidate. Fitch got 30,000 votes out of 160,000 Republican votes in a primary where everybody knew Fitch couldn't win.

114,000 Virginians voted in the rat primary
169,000 Virginians voted in the Republican primary
subtract 30,000 from the 169,000 Republican voters and you get 253,000 total voters and Kilgore got 55% of the vote "in a state that Bush carried by a 54-to-45 percent margin." Whoopee!!!

I submit the majority of Fitch voters preferred Fitch for a reason...else they would have voted for the certain winner.

By March 26,1996 Bob Dole had sewn up the GOP nomination but 2 months LATER in May Buchanan got 24% in AK, 22% in ID, 19% in IN, and 16% in WV. In June he got 15% In AL, 24% in MO, and even 11% in NJ. Primaries bring out the true believers. Many of those Fitch voters will stay at home during the general elections or vote rd party. On the flip side lots of rat voters never even bothered to vote during the primaries. Why should they? The Gov race is already decided. If they like the almost certain rat candidate for Gov there is no need to vote, unless they have competition for a state legislator seats which is rare. Baron points out the Lt Gov in VA? Is he joking? The Lt Gov race is a title without power. Baron should be ashamed of himself. He is tricking armatures.