A Different Way to Think

Bob McDonnell, Republican candidate for Virginia Governor.

A funny thing is happening in Virginia as Obama continues his downward spiral to reality.  The governor who’s only real accomplishment has been forcing Obama on us is about to be replaced…It’s election year.  In short, eight years of Democratic rule have steered Virginia into a ditch.  For those who don’t know the back story, Virginia is a traditional bible belt Republican stronghold.  Eight years ago, however, a Democrat was elected governor; no doubt because his last name Warner is the same as the long serving Republican Senator of the same name.  Then four years ago, current governor Tim Kaine upset the favored Republican Jerry Kilgore.  The last eight years in Virginia have seen Warner start by breaking his promise to keep the Republican governor’s plan to phase out the car tax.  Democrats took over with a surplus, and have spent the last 8 years spending money even though they had quickly turned the surplus into a deficit during Warner’s term.  Governor Kaine continued the same wasteful government and then even attempted to create a bunch of new fees and taxes in order to pay for transportation that has been neglected during Democratic rule.  Thank God for the Judicial branch and its power to decide things like private taxing authorities are unconstitutional.  So now we sit here with traffic nearing Washington DC levels and a governor who hasn’t noticed that if you stop spending on social programs you can afford to fix roads.

As the election nears, there appears to be hope for change (sound familiar Obama fans).  The Republican candidate has raised more campaign funds than all three Democratic candidates, thanks to the Virginia governor race gaining a

Terry McAuliffe doing his best Obama impersonation with rapper Will.i.am

 national stage.  Big names like Giuliani, Palin and Jindal have stepped up, and the biggest Democratic fundraiser (Terry McAuliffe) is farther behind in the polls versus McDonnell than his biggest Democratic competition.  It appears Democrats want Virginia because Kaine and McAuliffe are Obama buddies, and Virginia represents another failure for the GOP and Republicans want Virginia because it would be a major step towards a party comeback.  The good news is because the Republican party settled on McDonnell early, he has had more time to get ready for the campaign.  He’s raised more money and the Democrats still have to spend money campaigning against each other.  Of the 3 Democrats, the more questionable one is Terry McAuliffe, who isn’t even a Virginia native but is the leading candidate among Democrats.  To quote one article “Terry McAuliffe is Barack Obama“, even having rapper Will.I.Am campaign for him even though McAuliffe began as a Clinton supporter against Obama.

The campaign appears to be taking more of a comical twist as Democrats are doing exactly what John McCain tried in the fall.  They know they have been in power in Virginia for eight years, but they are still campaigning on change and a “fresh start”.  To me this means they don’t think Democrats have done a good job leading Virginia for the last eight years.  Just as McCain did, they are trying to campaign for change when they are in the same party as the outgoing leader.  Unlike McCain, these Democrats aren’t even close to being any different than the current governor.  They are all Obama liberals, already planning to waste money on wind farms in the ocean and high speed rails that go through two metro areas divided by a river but don’t connect.  They are running with the same promises to create phantom jobs that Americans shouldn’t have to stoop to the level of taking.  They think $10 an hour in a hot warehouse and a sore back is the American dream when Virginia is a leader in Information Technology and the Millitary.  They’d rather promise thousands of jobs that don’t pay enough to live than work to get people to educate themselves enough to attract jobs that are careers. 

Republican candidate Bob McDonnell

Bob McDonnell represents hope.  The hope that Virginia will return to its roots as a conservative state that has produced great thinkers and presidents like Jefferson.  He represents change from eight years of wasteful Democratic spending and planning to get Obama elected.  Pay attention to this race because I believe a Republican win points to Republican wins in the mid term Congressional races and a return to our nations normal practice of opposing the president by putting the other party in charge of Congress, to prevent him from doing things like…Obama’s first 100 days. 

Notes: Brian Moran is the third Democratic candidate, but doesn’t appear to have any real hopes of winning the nomination next month.  Creigh Deeds lost to McDonnell in the Virginia Attorney General race in a recount.

According to recent figures, McDonnell has $3.5 million available, McAuliffe $2.4 million, Deeds $1.2 million and Moran $800,000 , whith the three Democratic candidates beginning to spend the money on ads which seem to be focused on running for governor instead of against each other to save money for whoever wins the primary in June.

Fundraising totals through March 31, 2009, from the Virginia Public Access Project.

Recent polling results:

McDonnell vs. Deeds

44% to 39%

McDonnell vs. Moran
46% to 34%

McDonnell vs. McAuliffe
46% to 39%

Creigh DeedsBrian Moran