AP Reporting Kaine Victory in Virginia

foxnews.com ^

[Strategerist]

This has nothing to do with the base not being excited, though obviously people would like to believe that.

[laconic]

This election was Kilgore's to lose against a weak, uncharismatic Dem candidate. And he did all that he could to do just that - his commercials weren't just bad, they were embarrassing. The man had been elected AG when the rest of the ticket was losing; he had this election in the bag --- until he began campaigning.

[conservativepoet]

Thank you for the sanity. 2 Dims replace 2 Dims...no more and no less.

[swheats]

Perspective is everything. Thanks.

[TNCMAXQ]

I guess few of us here are fans of Bloomberg. But on the plus side, at the end of his second term, the Dems will have been out of city hall in NYC for 16 years! They haven't elected a Demo mayor since 1989. Kind of like the Dems not electing governors in CT or MA since 1986.

[TheBigB]

Chin up, FReepers...obviously this is a disappointing loss, but this isn't DU! :) No "Oh my God, I'm going to spend the next week under my bed covers!" As I see it, before tonight, the Dems held two of VA's top three elected offices. After tonight, the REPUBLICANS will hold two of three. Hardly a reason to be too downcast. Let's work on getting ready for next year, take what lessons we can, and be ready to work even harder next time around!

[KoRn]

Gonna refrain from saying what I feel like to prevent being banned from the site. Reflecting on the campaign, I'll say that what limited state media I'm exposed to; Kilgore did a horrible job on ads.

All the ads I heard in my area were nothing but negativity toward Kaine about his Liberalism, which is fine. It's necessary to define your opponents. Where Kilgore seemed to mess up was that he gave NO REASON to go out and vote FOR him. We all know, after John Kerry's campaign, you can't win like that. It just doesn't happen. Also, I think Kaine had some coattails from Gov. Warner, who is fairly popular in the state.

Just my $00.2

[ElPatriota]

Well, is a bitter pill swallow for sure... but everything can have a good and a bad side. Luckily it was just a governorship!... but this should be ample warning, that the Reps better get some guts, and govern. There is nothing more frustrating than party with all 3 branches of government, and yet, they still don't know how to play the game like winers. No question that war fatigue and gas prices and are huge obstacles to overcome for anyone... no question about that... but at the same, boy I do wish they get busy with securing the border and Immigration Reform... but whatever they do, They must CLOSE THE BORDER or eliminate more people crossing the border unless through legal channels. People remember, this must be the foundation of any Immigration reform!... in other words if the Reps will lose in 2006, let's do it 'fighting' for Republican policies. I only wish we could take Sen McRenageCain... and sent him to the moon. This guy is not helpful... he will try to do anything to hurt and humiliate the president.

[Minus_The_Bear]

I agree I have several friends who went to work on the campaign from out of state. They've worked on several Senate races and they told me Kilgore's people were amateur hour. Didn't know what to do, where to go, when or how to utilize people.

[JWojack]

The general rule of thumb is that whoever uses Hitler's name first in a campaign - loses.

[NavVet]

This is the lesson to be learned if anyone is listening. Unfortunately, I doubt they'll hear a word.

[BransonRevival]

"Stuff like this will happen when the base is ignored."

Exactly.We need to learn from this and not repeat it

[nutmeg]

In My Humble Opinion, it was the dumbest campaign I think I've ever seen. Kilgore spent all his ad money talking about how Kaine wouldn't enforce the death penalty and even compared him to Hitler in on commercial. Whoever he paid for the ad campaign (his brother??) needs to never work in advertising again. An awful campaign.

Hitler??? Geesh, that IS stupid. And now Virginia is stuck with yet another RAT governor.

Thanks for your replies... I saw snippets of the Kilgore vs Kaine race on Brit Hume's Special Report a couple of times, but haven't really followed this race very closely.

[Spunky]

"Two Democrat governors are about to be replaced by two more Democrat governors."

That is what I was wanting to know. Thanks for posting that.

[CyberAnt]

Yeah, that's what they said about Kerry too!

[Clintonfatigued]

Drudge Report

"Kaine had 812,235 votes, or 51.2 percent, to Kilgore's 737,747 votes, or 46.5 percent, with 82 percent of precincts reporting."

A dissapointment, but no catastrophe.

[BransonRevival]

The good news is we don't have to come up with any new "plays" in the playbook.We have to implement the old "plays" that got Reagan elected in 80 and 84 Reagan's third term in 94.There are some who are staying true to principle,Mike Pence,Jeb Hensarling and Co in the House come to mind and of course,the Great DR COBURN in the Senate.

[nutmeg]

Kilgore spent all his ad money talking about how Kaine wouldn't enforce the death penalty and even compared him to Hitler in on commercial.

...and Dubya made a campaign appearance with him (Kilgore) the other day... :-(

[BransonRevival]

and whoever runs away from conservatism.