A couple of weeks ago, The Virginian Pilot was the first to weigh in on a potential gubernatorial bid by former DNC chair Terry McAuliffe. Sunday, Jeff Schapiro of The Richmond Times Dispatch did likewise, citing the lesson of former US Senator Paul Trible.
The restless former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, an A-list talking head and friend of Bill and Hillary, McAuliffe may be a man with too much time and money on his hands.
[…]
McAuliffe isn’t trying to earn his spurs as much as buy them.
Ouch!
Tuesday, AP reporter Bob Lewis provided this take on a possible McAuliffe run, basically saying that his statewide tour on behalf of Obama is a thinly disguised “practice lap” for 2009. He gets some really interesting quotes from various people for this article.
“You don’t join the church today and run for pope tomorrow,” said Pixie Bell, for 40 years a Democratic Party leader in Fairfax County.
[…]
“Terry McAuliffe has two giant problems. One is he’s well to the left of the Mark Warner model and, two, he has no discernible connection to Virginia government and politics,” said Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. “That doesn’t necessarily prohibit his election, but it does make him a long shot.”
Virginia Democrats are facing a very tough gubernatorial election in 2009. It is bad enough that we already have two fine candidates in the race. Sometimes, “the more, the merrier” is just a bad idea.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
I agree! I don’t see Virginia going for McAuliffe over the Virginia candidates for the dems’ nomination, who each already have a solid record of legislative leadership and service to the commonwealth.
100% true
Pixie Bell is dead on!
He was at ODU yesterday “stumping” for Obama and “speaking about healthcare”. He spoke more about himself than anything else.
He’s no Mark Warner and I cannot see him doing well in the SW part of the state.
It will not matter. Obama will liely win in November and the economy will fall further into recession in 2009 as GDP falls on top of unemployment rate topping out at 8% or more. This may be through no fault of Obama’s but Virginia’s interests will be hit hard as well, though our unemployment has not yet topped 5% but Obama will be in charge of the nation this time around and with little progress made couipled with a three bollion dollar shortfall left by the current Kaine adminstration we very well may return the Executive Mansion to the Republicans.
No one can have their cake and eat it to. If the arguement made that all of whats bad is results in blaming the guy and his Party whose in charge then the State Democrats will take hits in 2009. That is the nature of politics. The question is can we handle another “change” election mantra. First Congress in 2006, then Obama in 2008 and well why not the State GOP in 2009.
J Scott – I agree that it will be extremely tough for Democrats to win in 2009. It’s something I’ve been saying for a while now. History is already on the side of opposite party of the presidency for our governor. Add the economic situation to the mix and a Democratic win in 2009 becomes that much more difficult to achieve.
And that saddens me tremendously.
There is just so much at stake in 2009, the 2011 redistricting being at the top of my list.
The other side of the equation will be the General Assembly races as well. While there may be a hangover from the celebration of this November, next could be a nightmare for local Democrats.
I know the GOP here has been getting smacked in the mouth in terms of leadership at the top by the likes of Raising Kaine and others, but frankly I am witnessing a resurgence here on the local level that might just be the whole plan for 2009. None of this was begun soon enough to help McCain, if intended at all, but is setting the foundation for 2009. Why else can we explain literature for McDonnell already being passed out in canvassing setting the seed for next Springs formal campaign.
A three man race could result in the GOP ability to have the top of ticket campaign for and with Delegates and Senators as more opportunity would be afforded to do so if the Dems are fighting it out between three before they manage to get it to one.
Well, there won’t be any Senate races next year, just House races. I guess that’s a good thing.