Kilgore Learns the High Cost of Compromise

http://va.familypolicy.net ^ | 11/15/05 | Joe Glover

[GeorgeW23225]

Let me explain a bit further...........

In 2001, when the democRATS won the Governor and Lt. Governors race in Virginia, Kilgore was our knight in shining armor. He won with 60% of the vote. It was difficult to find a county within the state that DIDN"T vote for Kilgore. Everyone knew where Jerry stood on the issues, and there was no hesitation or ambiguity. He was solidly conservative and unapologetic.

I still find it hard to believe that a campaign manager managed to get this far off the track.

One other thing. The MSM is taking great pleasure blaming President Bush for this defeat. Nothing could be further from the truth. As a matter of fact, Kaine had a 9% lead in the final poll. He won by a little more than 5%. I truly believe that President Bush actually managed to make it closer than it was going to be.

[TruthConquers]

HaHaHaHaHa, LOL!

I needed that laugh. Thanks.

[cope85]

Compromise

[MissMagnolia]

Bottom line for me, Kilgore came across as "Kilgore Lite", whether it was because he actually became mushy or because of the pathetic campaign that was run on his behalf. Despite my disaffection with Kilgore, I held my nose and voted for him - Kilgore might have come across as a RINO, but I KNOW Kaine is a flaming lib.

[George W. Bush]

The lesson of all US elections since 1994: RINO = LOSER

Like Rush says, when conservatives run as conservatives (and govern as conservatives), they win. Otherwise they lose.

Kilgore is a good example of what happens to the conservative-who-turns-liberal. Hypocrites rarely prosper among honest people. Their only avenue to success is via the Dim party.

[Criminal Number 18F]

The Human Events story says of Kilgore and his straddle on abortion:

Kilgore’s refusal to take a stand was just plain awful, and probably kept some “lazy voters”—a term Kilgore’s campaign coined to describe non-voters in this off-year election—home instead of casting a vote for the Republican.

You could also apply that to Kilgore's straddle on guns. He wouldn't even return the GOA or VCDL questionnaires. Here's GOA's Larry Pratt on that Kilgore wimp-out.

Kilgore waffled on abortion, on guns, on taxes, on immigration. A conservative with no stones is worth, exactly, what?

These are not failings of Republicanism or conservatism in Virginia. Indeed, Tim Kaine did all he could to obfuscate his own liberal record, and he'll certainly govern as a liberal -- it's what he is. What failed here is the backbone, if any, of Jerry Kilgore.

A coward from my party may be from my party, but he is not my man. The world is quite full enough of cowards without us advancing them.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[Criminal Number 18F]

I can tell you personally, he's not a schmuck.

• wobbly on abortion
• wobbly on taxes
• wobbly on the 2nd amendment
• wobbly on immigration

Corin, I respect you and what you're trying to do, but is there anything your guy did not screw up on? I don't throw the word I used in a previous post -- "coward" -- around with abandon, but Kilgore ran a cowardly campaign.

Now his career is in the dumpster, which for a career politician is probably worse than having a daughter in a cathouse. Especially for one like Kilgore who doesn't seem to stand for anything but getting himself elected. That's not a rare or irreplaceable trait among the swollen heads of politics.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[Corin Stormhands]

Corin, I respect you and what you're trying to do, but is there anything your guy did not screw up on?

I took most of last week off because I have no real desire to rehash this campaign with a forum full of armchair pundits who should have been out canvassing their precincts instead of sitting here second guessing every move of the Kilgore campaign.

I poured my heart and soul into getting a man I believe in into the Governor's office. I am, to say the least, weary. But as a lifelong Virginia Republican, I've been here before, and I know I'll be here again.

Did Kilgore run a perfect campaign? No, of course not. Had I been advising him I would have had him come out of the gate screaming about Warner's unnecessary tax increase and about illegal immigrants. Those could have been decisive issues.

Instead, Kilgore ran for months as the front runner. And unfortunately did not use those months to define his campaign. He did not define who he was, what he stood for. Instead, he let Kaine chip away at the lead by attacking him on everything from his accent to his mother. And, unforunately they let him get away with it. Instead of defining who he was, what we got from Jerry was "He's Mark Warner, and I'm not." That is regrettable.

Russ Potts didn't cost Kilgore the election in votes. But he helped raise Jerry's negative numbers. I'd pay good money to see Lt. Governor Bolling say in the Senate Chamber "will the good gentleman from Wichester kindly sit down and shut up."

As much as I hate to admit it, Kaine also won because of the popularity of Mark Warner. And face it, unemployment is down, everybody's pet projects are getting funded and all's right with the world. I'm convinced though, that Tim Kaine does not have that same Mark Warner "charm" and his popularity won't last. A lot of Jim Gilmore's success was because of the popularity of George Allen. If the candidate/governor doesn't have it on his own (and Kaine does not) it won't last.

I simply do not agree with you that Kilgore was wobbly on abortion, taxes, the 2nd amendment or immigration. And I point the finger of blame to those single issue groups as much as I do to the Kilgore campaign. The Joe Glovers and Philip Van Cleaves lost this one as much as the Kilgores did.

Why do I say that?

Quite simply, single issues don't win elections. And those single issue groups who say that Kilgore abandoned them or who say that Kilgore wasn't clear on his position, simply weren't paying attention. They didn't want to pay attention. All they wanted were the headlines.

Any group that says "if you don't fill out my survey I'm not going to vote for you" especially when the record of that individual is clear, simply needs to go home to have their mommies change their diapers. They've got no business in politics. These single issue voters and organizations refuse to learn the lesson that, yes you have to have your base, but you also have to have the middle. You can't win without it.

So now, I hope Glover, Van Cleave and Phil Rodokanakis are happy that they've got a pro-abortion Governor who used city funds to pay for buses to the Million Moo March and who within 48 hours of declaring victory was already hinting at a transportation tax increase.

And yeah, I told you so.

And Kilgore's "career is in the dumpster?" Really?

How many elections did Bill Clinton lose before he became Arkansas Governor? How may elections did George H.W. Bush lose? How many elections did George W. Bush lose?

Kilgore may choose not to run again. But I would hardly say his career is in the dumpster.

Jerry Kilgore may have ended up being a bad candidate or running a bad campaign, but I will strongly challenge anyone who doubts his integrity and his convictions. I spoke with one of his closest advisors today, a friend of mine for over 30 years. This was a hard one to lose for a lot of us.

Why?

Because we know Jerry Kilgore.

Not just what we read about him on the Internet.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Well, now that the Gov's race is over, any chance we can persuade Kilgore to take on Rick Boucher next year ?

[Corin Stormhands]

Trust me when I say I'd love to see Boucher gone. But he's got a lock on that district.

[Corin Stormhands]

FWIW...

(click the link to purchase)

[fieldmarshaldj]

Time to break the lock. Boucher's votes are well out of step with the district. Kilgore should wage a full-blown campaign against Boucher.

[olezip]

I sincerely hope that Kilgore and other Republicans of his ilk learn something from this failure. I voted for him but not with a lot of enthusiasm. He was very slow to endorse the NRA position; seemed reluctant at first. He has not learned from the elder and younger Bushes.

[Darnright]

> Any group that says "if you don't fill out my survey I'm not going to vote for you" especially when the record of that individual is clear, simply needs to go home to have their mommies change their diapers. They've got no business in politics. These single issue voters and organizations refuse to learn the lesson that, yes you have to have your base, but you also have to have the middle. You can't win without it.<

Here, Here, Corin!!!

[javachip]

Having VCDL and VA Club for Growth on the sidelines questioning Kilgore's positions when he's running against tax raising, million mom marching Kaine raises lots of 'what went wrong' questions. I would hope the focus of finding those answers is to avoid repeating mistakes and not to find scapegoats.

Corin - Many thanks for keeping us up to speed throughout the campaign.

[John O]

When a conservative runs as a conservative - he wins
When a conservative runs as a moderate - he loses

What's so hard to undersatdn about this?

[bmwcyle]

You are exactly right. The tent is for your voters.

[iceskater]

I love it!!!!!!!

[wayoverontheright]

I've known him for over 20 years, I can tell you personally, he's not a schmuck.

I only met him once, and I had this feeling then that his SW Virginia accent would not go over well in Northern Va, or even in Tidewater. Aside from the thick drawl, his manner of speaking was somehow very different.

I voted for him, I liked his conservative views, but in the back of my mind I worried about his ability to "connect". Also, it is always a mistake for a Republican to do personal attack ads. We just can't pull these things off like Dems do.

[P8riot]

Isn't it interesting that a Rat won by giving the impression he had moved to the right, but a Pubbie lost by giving the impression that he had moved to the left?

The Kilgore campaign's efforts to appeal to "the middle" is what made it totally uninspiring for me. So do ya think the VA GOP will learn it's lesson before 2009? I sure hope so, but I am not holding my breath. I just hope that that of the two obvious contenders for the GOP nomination for Governor that year we don't make the wrong choice like we did in '01.