The other part of this story is the spoiler Libertarian candidate Sarvis. I’m sure McAuliffe, who helped run Bill Clinton’s presidential campaigns, remembered that Clinton never won a majority of the electorate, but squeaked by after Ross Perot shaved votes from his republican opponents in both his campaigns. The fact that there was a spoiler in this race is no coincidence. I’m sure it was part of McAuliffe’s game plan.
But what was the draw of Sarvis? Was it mostly McDonnell’s scandals? Other factors?