According to the RTD, former governor and current Richmond mayor Doug Wilder will endorse Jim Webb this afternoon. I expect this will help Webb in the Richmond area, where he trails Allen, according to the latest polls.
Outside of Richmond, I don’t know how much effect Wilder’s endorsement will have. Do such endorsements affect your choice? Or have voters become so cynical that endorsements no longer matter?
Whose endorsement would affect your choice in a race?
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
For a local endorsement, that should be very effective. However, I imagine that James Webb would’ve had a better statewide following of this endorsement if it had come earlier in the campaign season. I also think that, as many endorsments as have been thrown around so far, most people may be done looking for endorsements in making their decisions.
As it is, I am sure it comes as no surprise that no endorsement would sway my choice in this election.
As CR UVa was getting at, I think an endorsement would have more influence over my decision if it were made earlier in the election. As it is now, many people already have a good impression of the platform of each candidate. I imagine that for the people who are still undecided at this point in time, it’s simply a need to begin the process of sitting down and studying the candidates views on particular issues.
In regards to a person who’s endorsement would receive my attention; I think that anytime a prominent politician endorses a candidate of the other party, it is most definitely worth studying the candidate’s plaform.
So many voters today in VA have no idea who Wilder is. He’s been out of office for 22 years. I can’t imagine that his endorsement will make any difference now. Too little, too late. If Wilder was really a big supporter of Webb he would have done this months ago and hit the campaign trail with Webb.
Jane Oldham-
balderdash. Wilder endorsed Tim Kaine a week before the election.
Actually, Jane, I was at the press conference. Wilder was asked what made him endorse so early, and he spoke about the importance of this election for both Virginia AND America. He plans to work with Webb, campaign with and for him, and maybe even do a commercial. Wilder is VERY psyched about Webb; believe me, listening to him and seeing him talk, this was NO run of the mill endorsement.
Wilder stated that he did call George Allen about the endorsement, andthat he remaons friends with George Allen, though he could not support him or his campaign.
You can read more on my blog, if you wish.
At a local level, endorsements matter. Especially for, say, the school board. But for a statewide race? Not really. And especially not these days, where even the most decent of Republicans still end up voting for winger leadership who are more concerned with power than principles. At this point, Jesus Christ himself could endorse George Allen and all that would make me do is wonder what Jesus did to lose his mind.
“So many voters today in VA have no idea who Wilder is. He’s been out of office for 22 years.” Wow, that’s a stretch. Wilder left statewide office in 1994, 12 years ago, but he was elected mayor of Virginia’s capital city in 2004. It was reported by local, state, national and international media. Additionally, he’s heading the slave museum effort, and is the subject of history books in Virginia schools. Try again, Jane.
While I understand the need for Webb opponent to downplay this, to say that many voters have no idea who the man is simply ridiculous. Ask Bob McDonnell or Bill Bolling who he is – they benefitted from him not endorsing anyone a year ago. Back then, the GOP was slobbering over Wilder’s non-endorsement endorsement. If many