GOP Paints the State Red
November 5, 2009 • By Ford Prior, Contributing Writer
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Republican Call for Change Pays off Statewide
RICHMOND — Some of Republican Bob McDonnell’s supporters believe it was his effective campaign strategy that led to his overwhelming victory in the state.
His win and the GOP sweep of Virginia were celebrated Tuesday with hip-hop music thumping and beach balls bouncing amid a large crowd in downtown Richmond’s Marriot Inn.
“Eight months ago I applied for the job of governor of Virginia,” McDonnell told the cheering crowd. “Tonight you have chosen me.”
After eight years of Democratic leadership in Virginia, the Republicans took all the top positions: Bill Bolling was re-elected lieutenant governor, Ken Cuccinelli won attorney general and Republicans took 60 of 100 open House of Delegates seats across the state.
“I think Bob ran as good a campaign as Deeds ran a bad campaign,” said Stephen E. Baril, member of McDonnell’s finance committee. “Bob stayed focused his issue, and… Deeds was just firing blanks.”
The tide of red is, to some, a clear indication of dissatisfaction with current administrations in Virginia and Washington.
“This is a warning shot,” said 7th District Rep. Eric Cantor of the GOP’s overwhelming conquest. “Voters are looking for a different direction. They’re looking for change… The Republican resurgence begins again tonight, and history will record that it began right here in Virginia.”
Drew Lichtenberger, a McDonnell supporter at the celebration, agreed.
“This is like a referendum,” he said. “I look at it as Virginia having gone more liberal in values, and they’re swinging it back.”
McDonnell, however, spoke on more conciliatory terms of his party’s sweeping victories.
“We’re Republicans, we’re Democrats and we’re Independents,” he said, “but there’s a couple of things that transcend politics, and that’s that first and foremost we’re all Virginians, and we’re all Americans.”
Cordel Faulk, a supporter not directly involved in the campaign, thinks such focus kept McDonnell on a straight track.
“The Republican Party would do well to look at the Bob McDonnell campaign to win races.” he said. “He didn’t betray his principles, but used his campaign to focus on bread-and-butter issues that swayed the suburban voters that swing elections in Virginia.”
Contact Ford Prior at priorww@jmu.edu.
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