The Daily Press has an interview with Democratic Party chairman Richard “Dickie” Cranwell, in which he discusses the chances of Democrats gaining control of the General Assembly.
In all candor, I believe that the likely scenario is that we’ll take control of the Senate. I think the House is a more difficult task, but based on the numbers I’ve seen, I don’t think it is completely out of the realm of possibility that we could get to 50-50 in the House.
Cranwell’s optimism is in line with what I’ve been hearing. Five or even six pickups in the Senate, with two of those in Hampton Roads: John Miller and Ralph Northam. Nearly everyone I’ve talked to believes that the possibility exists for control of the House. Again, Hampton Roads is doing its part with Bobby Mathieson, Joe Bouchard and Troy Farlow.
Cranwell gives his own reasons as to why the Democrats are positioned to gain seats in the General Assembly:
All I ask you to do is look at the civics part of the General Assembly as long as the Democrats were in control. The best example I give people is this. Hunter Andrews (the late Democratic senator from Hampton who was a longtime Senate Majority Leader) and Dick Cranwell used to have some very significant disagreements in the last two weeks of the legislative session. We understood that was the political, theatrical side of what the job was. We also understood there was a civics side, actual governing. So we knew we had to make a compromise in order to govern.
The group that is in charge, particularly in the House of Delegates right now, they do not understand the civics side of the equation. They think that politics is civics and it’s not. Politics is the process by which we elect people.
Yeah – and then there’s the transportation debacle. From Sunday’s Free Lance-Star:
“The abusive-driving fees have angered Virginians like few issues in the past 20 years,” said University of Mary Washington political analyst Stephen Farnsworth. “I’ll be using this law in class this fall as a case study of how not to govern if you want to be re-elected.”
What she said 🙂
Let’s make 21/51 a reality!
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Vjp its a shame that it was worded that the “study of how not to govern if you want to be re-elected” was used because I think the concentration of elected officials to “stay” elected officials is what creates much of the mess in the first place. Legislating becomes self centered in that context and thus they are doing their business and not the peoples.
It would be interesting to examine how many officials feel their first obligation is to their constituents or the their Party. The Commonwealth has a rich political history, much of which was used to form the basis of many state governments that came much later and yet over the course of history we have seen Virginia receed from national importance. Maybe that could be due to the very individuals that make up our system today and their poor implementation of true civics.
Scott, well said.
Since when do you see the delegates and senators listen to the people who they represent? Seems like only the “fringe” get the meetings and the spoils.
This has got to change.
21/51 should be a four-year plan. I think we’ll take back the Senate this year and pick up the House and the Governor’s mansion in 2009.
Virginians are sick of Republican mismanagement and the weird ways they try to impose their ideology on people who are basically non-ideological.
J.C. though the Reps may very well be in control its not just them.Both have become a bunch of idealogues. What I would like to see is a new wave of young Dems and Republicans come to the stage. I am especially tired of the career politcians. The fact that incumbents never seem to have anyone pushing or challeging them from within their own party at times is daunting. When will we wake up and realize that they are not the real problem…we are because we keep sending the same guys back over and over expecting and different result.
I am sure that success will come long term. I believe Dems may pick up what is needed this Fall for control, but the economic picture does not look great and they may fall into the trap and have to raise taxes. Its inevitable Virginians will be paying more in just about every area by 2009. The task will simply be making the effective case that these measures must be undertaken in order to maintain our quality of life, whether it be transportation issues , healthcare or education for our children. Some things are worth the investment and I believe most will accept paying more for better roads, safer localities, healthcare and education when put to the task. We simply need a Governor that can pull off articulating that our quality of life needs to taken above politics for the betterment of all Virginians.
JC -I don’t think 21/51 is going away as a slogan if we don’t take back both chambers this year.
J Scott – interesting points. One of the refreshing things about a new candidate is that they don’t have that “do whatever it takes to get re-elected” mindset. It is something that they learn once they get into office. The same is true of the obligation to party. I can’t recall talking to a new candidate whose loyalty was to anyone other than their constituents and the desire to serve. It is the system that makes them so. And until and unless we change the system – from the bottom up – it will always be that way.
As for the Ds taking over at a time of economic uncertainty – it just seems to work out that way. What will have to happen is hard choices about what is important. A true leader is one that is successful during the hard times, not the easy ones.
So we get new people into the system, and the system corrupts them, too? Not a very convincing reason to change the names of the corrupted.
What changes would you make to the system?
“As for the Ds taking over at a time of economic uncertainty – it just seems to work out that way.”
It doesn’t “just [seem] to work out that way,” it is that way because in times of stability the electorate sees no reason for change.
I believe in 21as a possibility much more than I believe in 51.