(click the link to purchase)
Posted on 11/14/2005 1:19:28 PM PST by cope85
VIRGINIA ISSUES: Kilgore Learns the High Cost of Compromise
2005 Virginia Election Analysis By Joe Glover
“You can’t make friends of your enemies by making enemies of your friends.”
The pundits are spinning the demise of Jerry Kilgore as a defeat for conservatism and a victory for the “moderate” middle of the road. Such conclusions are based on the idea that successful campaigns appeal to so-called “swing voters” who support “reasonable” candidates from either party on a given day.
The poll numbers from Tuesday’s election tell us something entirely different, since two unapologetically pro-life, anti-tax conservative candidates fared much better than the moderated version of Jerry Kilgore. What’s interesting is that most voters didn’t know about Kilgore’s leftward drift, but that didn’t keep it from shooting him in the foot. It all started very soon after he won his first statewide race, when he began to compromise in a futile attempt to win the second.
Four years ago, Jerry Kilgore ran for Attorney General as a conservative prosecutor from Southwest Virginia, making no bones about his traditional values. Much was made of his conservative roots and hometown values, and he carried the state with sixty percent of the vote.
Unfortunately, that was then. This is now. And a whole lot has changed in just four years.
Very soon after Jerry Kilgore was sworn in as Attorney General in January of 2002, he began thinking and acting as if his next campaign was already in full swing. Members of the Attorney General’s office grumbled privately to GOP operatives that Kilgore almost immediately began making decisions in light of his chances of becoming Governor. Conservatives who heard these complaints were concerned, but hoped Kilgore’s conservative roots would prevent any collapse in his values.
Unfortunately, Jerry Kilgore’s ambitions got the best of him in his first year in office, and he adopted a new way of reaching his goal that often sold his friends down the river. Early in the second year of Kilgore’s tenure as Attorney General, the smalltown conservative from Southwest Virginia began spreading his political wings in new directions. He began to, as they say in political science classes, “reach out” to new demographic constituencies.
Here are just a few examples of Jerry Kilgore’s deeds done in the name of demographical “outreach:”
In March of 2003, six activists from the pro-homosexual “Log Cabin” club publicly engaged Jerry Kilgore on social issues at a political fundraiser in Northern Virginia. Kilgore was very complimentary of their organization, making a number of overtures that raised conservative eyebrows. For example, Kilgore promised them “his office does not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sexual orientation.” When asked whether or not he welcomed [people who engage in homosexuality] as part of the Republican Party, Kilgore said he did, and he “acknowledged the contribution the [Log Cabin homosexual club] has made to the Republican Party over the past few years, particularly in northern Virginia.”
In May of 2003, Jerry Kilgore shocked pro-lifers when he officially rejected the long-held belief that life begins at conception in an effort to ensure state colleges and universities could freely distribute the morning-after abortion pill to college students.
In 2003, Kilgore betrayed fiscal conservatives in Republican primary races by joining the campaign committees of liberal politicians like Sen. John Chichester (R-Fredricksburg), who proposed a greater tax increase than Democrat Governor Mark Warner within a month of the senator’s reelection.
In October of 2003, Kilgore won the praise of homosexual activists and the scorn of pro-family groups when he participated in a pro-homosexual public relations scheme by promising not to discriminate on the basis of a person’s so-called “sexual orientation.” The Family Foundation’s Victoria Cobb responded to Kilgore’s participation by saying, “Voters who have supported the Attorney General have cause to be deeply concerned and will be anticipating more clarity in the future.”
In the spring of 2005, Jerry Kilgore frustrated fiscal conservatives again when he endorsed a slate of rebellious Republican Delegates who backed the largest tax increase in Virginia history, against conservative Republicans in several districts throughout the Commonwealth.
After the 2005 primary, Kilgore violated Ronald Reagan’s 11th Commandment by publicly criticizing conservative GOP House member Brad Marrs for exposing the major homosexual support of his Democrat opponent. Marrs subsequently lost his reelection bid by less than 50 votes to a pro-choice, pro-tax increase Republican running as an Independent.
Although he promised to promote “a culture of life” as a candidate for Governor, Jerry Kilgore never excited Virginia’s pro-life voting block by spelling out a concrete plan of action. During a candidate debate in September, Kilgore refused to tell moderator Tim Russert of NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he would sign a bill to ban abortions in Virginia. News of his response sent shock waves throughout the pro-life movement in the Commonwealth. Here is a description of the exchange between Russert and Kilgore from MSNBC.com’s web site: In that debate, Kilgore dodged what he said was a “hypothetical” question about whether he would sign a law banning abortion in Virginia. Debate moderator Tim Russert of NBC’s “Meet the Press” then asked Kilgore if he would veto a tax increase. Kilgore said yes."That’s a hypothetical question,” Russert interjected, prompting laughter from an audience that seemed largely sympathetic to Kaine. “Word of mouth among political insiders was really negative regarding Kilgore’s performance overall and his response to that one question in particular,” said [Catholic University political science professor Mark] Rozell.
In October, the Washington Post reported that Kilgore was hedging his bets on opposing new tax increases. To the dismay of fiscal conservatives in the GOP, Kilgore said he would allow Northern Virginia “and other regions” the power to raise taxes for roads. Later in the month, the conservative Virginia Club for Growth criticized Kilgore for refusing to sign a Taxpayer Bill of Rights, and demanded that he “speak out unequivocally against new taxes.” Club president Phil Rodokanakis said, “Jerry Kilgore continues to run an elusive campaign and refuses to let the voters know where he really stands on these issues.” There’s no doubt that most conservatives voted for a straight GOP ticket in Tuesday’s election. Most believed Jerry Kilgore to still be the conservative Republican from Gate City they had supported in 2001. However, some knew better.
Some knew better because they fought Jerry Kilgore on conservative issues while he occupied the Attorney General’s office. Others knew better because they fought his influence in primary battles against liberal incumbents. Still others knew better because Jerry Kilgore couldn’t muster the courage to sign a taxpayers pledge or promise to endorse a bill to protect the unborn.
Whatever the reason and whatever the number, there was a group of disgruntled conservatives who wouldn’t work or vote for a politician they would have to fight once they got him elected. Kilgore’s team dismissed those principled conservatives by saying instead they would win or lose with the “lazy” voters who would otherwise stay home. That move may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back for some who were planning to hold their noses and support him despite his shortcomings. That quote certainly didn’t encourage them to lend a hand.
The rise and fall of Jerry Kilgore should serve as a model of compromise that conservative politicians should seek to avoid. A wise old adage among political types in Washington, D.C. says “You can’t make friends of your enemies by making enemies of your friends.” It seems the Republican running at the top of Virginia’s statewide ticket this year had to learn that lesson the hard way.
Conservatives thinking of running for statewide office in the future would be wise to learn that lesson from Jerry Kilgore so they don’t have to learn it the hard way themselves.
Joe Glover, M.Div. is the President of the Virginia-based Family Policy Network.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RELATED INFORMATION:
Jerry Kilgore, Homosexuality, and Muddy Waters: http://va.familypolicy.net/index.php?p=35
Attorney General Lauds Homosexual Recruiting Efforts Toward GOP: http://va.familypolicy.net/index.php?p=34
Pro-Family Group Calls on Attorney General to Correct Opinion: http://va.familypolicy.net/index.php?p=36
Jerry Kilgore Made Two Big Mistakes: http://www.humaneventsonline.com/blog-detail.php?id=10163
Kilgore refused pro-life refusal, “irritating many conservatives”: http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/006/333qxkiq.asp
HaHaHaHaHa, LOL!
I needed that laugh. Thanks.
Compromise
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
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
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.
Well, now that the Gov's race is over, any chance we can persuade Kilgore to take on Rick Boucher next year ?
Trust me when I say I'd love to see Boucher gone. But he's got a lock on that district.
(click the link to purchase)
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.
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.
Here, Here, Corin!!!
What's so hard to undersatdn about this?
You are exactly right. The tent is for your voters.
I love it!!!!!!!
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.
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.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.