We hold conventions in Virginia to control the democrat influence; it is primarily a method by conservatives to get true conservative candidates, and it was how Cuccinelli ran Bolling out of the contest.
This was a convention, and Ed won easily. There simply was not a lot of conservative outrage over his candidacy. He isn’t the “conservative” pick, but he is a good bridge between the chasm that exists that kept us from winning any statewide races in a state where our last governor won by 16%, and where our local races throughout the state also went republican by double-digits (the democrats held the senate because of some world-class gerrymandering, winning 50% of the seats with less than 45% of the vote).
And then they held the senate by 10 votes in a special election.
We have to win the immigration fight by scaring the elected officials — we can’t win by sinking every republican nominee who isn’t already on our side, because there will be NO democrats who won’t support the most radical amnesty they can get.
You seem to paint a rosy picture of VA, but it doesn't match reality. The 2009 statewide races were anomalies. There was an historic low Dem turnout. The Dems, fresh from the Obama massive victory and total control over Congress depressed Dem turnout. They were still basking in the glow of victory. Since then, they have dominated statewide elections. NoVA is increasing its influence and many Reps have already been defeated in the General Assembly elections in NoVA. The ones who have survived did so narrowly by just hundreds of votes. It is only a matter of time before the numbers of Reps in the General Assembly from NOVA can be numbered on one hand.
As far as gerrymandering is concerned, the Reps have used it much more to its advantage than the Dems. Still, the seat held by Frank Wolf will be difficult to hold. Connolly and Moran's replacement will face little opposition from the token Rep candidates. Right now, the Reps control two thirds of the House of Delegates, but that is a high water mark.
We have to win the immigration fight by scaring the elected officials — we can’t win by sinking every republican nominee who isn’t already on our side, because there will be NO democrats who won’t support the most radical amnesty they can get.
The elected Rep officials are scared by the other side and the changing demographics. They are being stampeded into believing that if they cave on amnesty, they will win more of the minority vote. They are deluded. We already had 14 Reps sign on to the Gang of 8 bill. The Rep "principles on immigration" that came out of the retreat is just surrender. The Reps are being pushed hard by their corporate paymasters to get immigration reform (aka amnesty and doubling the number of guest workers) done this year.
Why is the GOP leadership in the House pushing immigration reform prior to the midterms? Are they trying to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory? Eric Cantor, in response to the current Mariel boat-like dump of unaccompanied illegal alien children on the Southern border is to pass a GOP version of Obama's unconstitutional backdoor amnesty for the Dreamers now. The big issue prior to the midterms will become immigration and not Obamacare and all of the other Dem scandals. The Reps have a death wish or they are colluding with the Dems so that the political and corporate classes can retain their power and control.
I don't know how you define a "radical amnesty" as compared to a non-radical one, but it is still a win-win for the Dems no matter how it turns out. The big loser is the United States of America--just like the Bergdahl deal.