Posted on 11/01/2012 1:38:01 PM PDT by HokieMom
Editor's note: The 2012 presidential race is CNN Chief National Correspondent John King's seventh campaign. King is traveling through battleground states, where the election will be decided, to find the voters who will determine whether President Barack Obama gets a second term or if the country needs the change in direction that Mitt Romney represents.
Dumfries, Virginia (CNN) -- Retiree Robert Stevens says he often turns off the television when the attack ads appear, and he hangs up the phone when it's a presidential campaign calling.
"I want to make my own independent decision," Stevens said in a lunchtime conversation this week at Harold and Cathy's Dumfries Cafe. "I don't want anybody shoving stuff down my throat."
Four years ago, Stevens recalls being "fed up with Bush" and intrigued by the idea of being part of history. "I voted for Mr. Obama," he said. "It was something different for the country. Something that hadn't happened before -- a black president. I got caught up in that a little bit. But I think he is a disappointment. I don't see jobs coming back. The housing market is coming back a little bit. But unemployment is still way above where it should -- where he predicted it would be."
Yet this self-described independent isn't sold on Mitt Romney, either.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
The demographics of Fairfax County have changed dramatically. 30% of the residents are foreign born. There are over 30,000 students in the K-12 ESOL program. And NoVA is dominated by government employees, school teachers, and lawyers. It will become more liberal, not less.
Although Reps have a large margin in the House of Delegates, the Senate is split 20-20. NoVA is sending most of Dems to the Genral Assembly and it is the area of the state that is increasing the fastest in terms of population. Two out of the three members of Congress from NoVA are Dems.
VA is really a purple state and I see it going blue in a decade. Demography is destiny.
What do people think about Hispanic registrations up 20 percent from 2008?
What an idiot. It is all about western VA and coal country. Polls have traditionally done a better job of sampling in urban/suburban areas than rural areas.
The rural areas of VA, particularly the coal areas, will come out in much heavier numbers than in 2008. That will be what determines the election in VA, WI, OH and maybe even PA and MI.
Thanks. I’m glad I’m not misremembering 2008. I thought there were A LOT more yard signs then AND every single car seemed to have an Obama sticker. Now it seems in Arlington/Alex/Fairfax it’s maybe 1 out of every 15 cars. I was over in Leesburg the other day...seemed solid Romney. Lots of Romney signs & no Obama signs. Loudon is crucial to canceling out Fairfax.
But I noticed Romney has a few rallys in Roanoke and Richmond burbs this weekend. So I think their polls must be showing a tight race here or they would spend time elsewhere last campaign weekend.
I love the Romney billboards! The YRs have really grown in Arlington and the Leadership Institute appears flush with young conservatives. I hope the trend continues.
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Being from Reston I see very few “new” Obama bumper stickers —most are the ‘08 ones....not too many Romney stickers but then, who wants their cars keyed??
I think there is a lot of stealth support for Romney in NOVA —let’s just hope everyone shows up Tuesday to vote!
Pat
The VA “Rule of Thumb” for the GOP has always been to be competitive @ 50/50 in NOVA, then the rest of the state will sweep in our candidate.
NOVA is now far more lib than it was in the 1990s, not that long ago. It’s certainly a reflection of the growth of government (and the contractors that feed off govt).
I agree with you - The feel is very different than 2008. The people who need MSM permission to even question Obama frustrate me.
I too have taken the training and am going to be a poll watcher on Tuesday, God willing. I’ll be interested to see how many people show up without a picture ID.
Can you remember— didn’t Bob McDonnell carry Fairfax County by a whisker?
Robert F. “Bob” McDonnell 138,655 50.73%
R. Creigh Deeds 134,189 49.10%
Write In 438 0.16%
Yep, looks like a whisker to moi!
Gov. Romney coming to George Mason University in Fairfax on Monday. Taking it deep into the blue zone!
Note that while McDonnell carried Fairfax, neither Bolling nor Cuccinelli did. Both got high 40s, but not majority.
VA elections are won and lost in the Central part of the state. Northern VA and the area around Richmond is the liberal part of the state, the Western part of the state, though less populated, is probably one of the most conservative areas in the entire country. (dems USED to actually get some votes there, but not lately)
The candidate that dominates the central part of the state will win the race. If it's close in the central part of the state, it will be a long election night, subject to fraud out of certain precincts in Northern VA and Richmond). All of this is generally speaking of course. There's always anomalies.
True, yet McDonnell’s victory shows it can be done!
Hey, everyone! After volunteering on Election Day, come join us at the victory party at GMU’s Mason Inn in Fairfax!
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