Terry is hiring people from Team-Harris Miller and Team-Clinton in Virginia....

How did those two campaigns go again?

Jenny Nadicksbernd is associated with Mark Warner and Mark Warner uniquely.  She's worked for him for years.

Mike Henry is known within Virginia for his work on Tim Kaine's campaign and, more recently, CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR MARK WARNER.

How did that campaign go again?  Oh yeah - it pwn3d.  Everywhere.

You win some and you lose some (or in Sen. Clinton's case - thousands of seasoned professionals lose some), but Lowell's right - these guys are pretty much the best of the best here in Virginia.

From his interview elsewhere on RK, it sounds as if McAuliffe wants to be governor of Northern Virginia, not the entire commonwealth. (See this month's Washingtonian for more.)  His comments seem awfully vapid and ignorant as to what the rest of Virginia is, does, wants, and needs from its government and governor.  

He is one of the nicest politicians I have met in VA. That said I wish someone would get him to take a public speaking class. Toastmaster's...something.
I think he is a great public servant but would reach more people if he were a better public speaker.

is who I am ever so slightly leaning towards (Moran is right there with him), but I really want to make sure whoever our candidate is has some fire.  We have to really make McDonnell own the RPVA.  He needs to own their "no" reply to every issue important to Virginians.  They say NO to new transportation funding.  They say NO to balancing the budget.  They say NO to early childhood education.  It appears the only thing they are willing to say yes to is smoking in restaurants.  I think that just about sums up why we need a slew of new legislators in Richmond.

I think one of the most underreported findings from the '08 election is the fact that a plurality of Virginia voters called themselves Democrats and they voted for their party at the same rate as Republicans.  

Going forward into the gubernatorial election, this shift should give us some optimism.  We need someone who can keep this trend going and hold our position in the suburbs.  On this point, I think Moran would be strongest, but Deeds could certainly do well in the 'burbs and would probably do better in the rural areas.  It's a very tough call for me to make.  They both are great candidates.

was at a rally two weeks before the election in 2005.  He got the crowd fired up in a big way.  I was impressed.

He had a debate as a surrogate for Obama against McDonnell in Lynchburg and he was pretty bad.

The debate was held at the local synagogue so you would think it would be packed w/ Dems, but it wasn't. The crowd was on McDonnell's side. McDonnell had all his talking points down, he was smooth and articulate in that slimey way Christian right preachers are. At the end the applause was loud for McDonnell, very loud.
The LU students were out in force. I talk about this a lot here but you guys who live in University towns know the energy young folks bring to a community ( mostly in a good way). Imagine 15,000 plus soldiers for Christ invading your city every August and then upon graduation many just STAY.It's suffocating.
Creigh had a few good shots but he didn't seem in command of any points at all. He looked uneasy and floundered a lot.
I really like Creigh. I also like Brian Moran. I am not so sure about McAuliffe but many who heard him speak when he came to Lynchburg really liked him.

is great. I think Terry's attempt isn't going to take hold. Brian has been on the ground in VA working for the kind of solutions Warner, Kaine, and Webb have been the vanguard of.

http://www.surveyusa.com/clien...

58% approval
38% disapproval

In 'Northeast' it's 63% approval-27% disapproval

To have only a 58% approval rating in the third year of an incumbent's term in the part of the state that should be his stronghold before any negative advertsing has happened is normally an invitation to a primary opponent, if the incumbent could stand for re-election. Thankfully for our party, he cannot.

Oh, by the way, you identified exactly what that ol' Timmy boy has actually accomplish in his 3+ years in office? [crickets]  

If I still lived in Virginia I'd probably support Brian Moran in the primary.  Creigh Deeds would also make an excellent governor.  Both would ease the transfer of power from Tim Kaine.  However, I would be upset with Terry McAuliffe.  I honestly couldn't support him or vote for him, if I did live in Virginia.  I just couldn't do it.  I think a lot of other people who are fiercely Democratic feel the same way.  So, if McAuliffe can't get votes from people like me, how does he expect to get votes from independents?

What is most important to realize is that Mark Warner and Tim Kaine both appealed to all Virginia residents and have represented all Virginia residents.  Sure McAuliffe would win Northern Virginia, but I believe that he would get creamed everywhere else in Virginia by any somewhat decent Republican candidate.  So, in my estimation, Terry McAuliffe is pretty much like Harris Miller as a Democrat.  He would probably lose 55-45 or even worse.  I believe Brian Moran or Creigh Deeds will have a tough race, but both could certainly win.

 

Any Democrat that tries to use the voters in NOVA to overwhelm the voters in the rest of the state isn't going to get anywhere.

If McAuliffe is serious about running for Governor, he needs to spend some time downstate, see what it is like down there.

...in Southside a few weeks before the election, talking about healthcare. He was engaging, a good speaker and did a good job promoting Obama's healthcare positions. I think he was well-received at the town hall he did in Martinsville.

That said, I think he'll have to do a lot more than one swing through rural VA to pull many votes here.

will split some of the vote.  Creigh can make up the vote in other parts of the state, and pull a plurality statewide.

  In any event, with three candidates, I think it is likely that no one will come out of the primaries with a clear majority.

Can't we find a damn Hampton Roads somebody to run?

A real progressive with many times the experience of any of the oft-mentioned candidates.

Brian Moran (my favorite for governor candidate) and Terry McAuliffe (Mr. Money Bags) will fight it out in NOVA. Meanwhile, if Creigh Deeds is sharp enough to put the rest on Virginia in play, he will win. If not, I think it's a toss-up between the two NOVA fellows.

Interesting. I just hope there is no mud slinging in the election. We can't afford that.

Either Creigh or Brian can win statewide against a Republican.  

I've stated several times on the front page here that I am NOT - repeat, NOT! - receiving a penny from the McAuliffe campaign, am not associated with that campaign in any way, etc. Now, I have a question for you: why do you keep questioning my motives and integrity as a blogger, writer, human being, etc?  I have put up with this crap for a long time now, and I am REALLY tired of it.  

I am neutral for now in the governor's race, happen to like all three Democrats running. I may always stay neutral, I'm not sure. However, if I do end up endorsing someone, it will be because I believe in them the most, am inspired by them the most, believe they can win the most.  Period.

you seem to imply that Lowell isn't "allowed" his preferences.  What if he did prefer one or the other?  This is supposed to be a problem?  So, why do you suggest it is?  It's a mystery to me.  Furthermore, what if he did consult with one or the other of the candidates?  When he has, he has consistently communicated his disclaimers.

BTW, I think he's been really fair regarding all the candidates.  He's also tried to assure that bloggers here are respectful to all the contestants--and that we don't provide the other side with any lines they can use after our nominee is chosen.  And, yes, he has been neutral thus far.  But that doesn't imply he couldn't select a favorite whenever he wishes.  

Ditto for everyone else.  We still are allowed our primary or caucus choices, aren't we?  So, what's with the testiness and insinuations?

I for one believe a democratic primary for governor is a good thing. Did anyone notice what we did in VA, North Carolina and Indiana to name just a few in the Presidential?  We had a great candidate yes, but we also  campaigned in these places starting during a contested primary. Barack visited Indiana more than 40 times and that number was similar to VA. So this primary will be good for VA in my view.

Also, put me down as one who thinks Lowell does an awesome job keeping Democrats informed across VA when our general news media does not do a great job covering the Commonwealth.  Keep up the great work Lowell!

A primary that sends McAuliffe, Deeds and Moran across the state talking to voters and discussing problems and solutions to problems can be a huge benefit, but to the extent it degenerates into a food fight that splits the party, it is  sword that cuts both ways.  I hope all three take advantage of this great opportunity to show the state what great candidates they are -- I'm certain about Moran and Deeds -- we'll have to say about McAuliffe.