What a superbly gorgeous weekend for working the grassroots! I spent Saturday going house-to-house, asking folks in my neighborhood what their real concerns are for the next election. At the homes I visited, three issues stood out: Education, Transportation and Environment. In each case, Kaine's positions are much more appealing to voters:Education: My neighbors really respond positively to Kaine's record of success in raising Richmond's trouble-plagued schools up to good performance levels. They also appreciate the extraordinary leadership on education that Kaine provided statewide as Lt. Governor. And Jerry Kilgore's attacks, using invented statistics, on Tim Kaine's education record simply don't impress anyone.
Maybe it's the Kilgore campaign's relentless negativity, but folks here in Northern Virginia do not seem to have any confidence that Kilgore will do anything good for education. Undecided voters were surprised to see that Kilgore's resume (which I keep in my canvassing kit) does not feature any educational experience - aside from supervising security for a brief time at Virginia's Juvenile Detention Centers (gulp)! Without even getting into the horrible abuses that characterized Kilgore's work with the Juvenile Detention Centers, folks agreed that Tim Kaine clearly is much more dedicated to unlocking the potential of Virginia's students than is Jerry Kilgore!
Transportation: Folks here are concerned about traffic, but they do appreciate Gov. Warner's efforts to expand the Metro system. Folks are especially impressed that superior project management has won the state a $20 million bonus in federal funds. One older gentleman commented, "just think how much more we'll get in a bonus when Kaine manages to ensure that transportation funds only get used on transportation projects!"
Alongside these comments, I heard a perspective I had never considered. Folks here are concerned about taxes, no doubt. But, they are responding favorably to Tim Kaine's promise to only do what the state can afford -- without raising taxes or deficits. Ultimately, they regard Kilgore's huge promises as inflated and undependable. Kaine's more realistic approach is impressing people that he has greater integrity.
Environment: Environmental issues aren't playing a major role in this campaign statewide, but they are resonating deeply in my area. While there are not a large number of undecided environmental voters in my area, the concerns are frequently voiced. And, needless to say, nobody is fooled by Kilgore's so-called "nutrient credit trading program." To the contrary, everyone I spoke to quickly identified this proposal as a measure which would weaken existing pollution regulations. Kaine's plan -- to strengthen existing clean air and water measures, to empower more local environmental decisions and to encourage more civic involvement in decision making -- impressed everyone I spoke to.
In talking to Republicans, I was struck by the fact that nobody offered much enthusiasm for their party's candidate, Jerry Kilgore. Every time I'd ask about Kilgore, they'd answer, "I'm voting for him because he's a Republican." "But," I'd respond, "I'd like to know...aren't there any reasons why you are voting FOR Jerry Kilgore?" The only response I received was that Kilgore would remove the rest of the car tax, which is not even one of his policy proposals!
Overall, folks indicated that they saw Kilgore as a weak candidate losing steam. One lady who described herself as an independent voter asked in puzzlement, "Why does the Virginia state Republican party keep giving us the most ridiculous candidates? First they gave us Oliver North-and now their giving us his stepson, Jerry Kilgore!" Good question!
In my Northern Virginia precinct, people are far more engaged the gubernatorial race than in the rest of the state, at least based on statewide polling data. Every person I spoke with was very familiar with the issues, particularly Kilgore's refusal to answer questions about abortion. Ultimately, I heard a whole lot of frustration that Kilgore won't take a stand on important issues. Many Kaine votes appeared to derive first from anti-Kilgore sentiments, but that starting point appears to be fostering the discovery of more and more pro-Kaine enthusiasm as people get to know Tim better.
Anyway, this is the view from the grassroots in Northern Virginia. If you want to hear it firsthand, I strongly recommend that you get out there on a beautiful fall day and talk to your neighbors!