Keep in mind that Kaine is following the foot steps of a very popular Democrat governor who did not govern.
The media will play this like a Bush loss - but anyone who is following politics will tell you that many times red states will have blue govs. i dont know why it happens, it just does.
Kinda like why MA elected Romney.
"many times red states will have blue govs."
And vice-versa. California is about as blue as it gets, and we've had Republican governors: Reagan, Dukmejian, Wilson, Schwartzenegger.
"...many times red states will have blue govs..."
Like we have here in Ohio...
Are you a Virginia resident? It seems to me that Warner had broad appeal across both parties.
I think the impact of Bush's numbers is being overplayed such that the larger message is undboutedly being lost - the key to Democratic victories in 2006 and 2008 were in this race and it had nothing to do with popularity or Iraq or Bush. It had to do with moderacy - there are many many many moderate Republicans who are qualified and credible people who undoubtedly took notice of this victory and the reasons why it occurred.