Why did Republicans lose, Virginia

[LoveLife&Laughter]

[LoveLife&Laughter]

A quote my friend, a quote:

[ProblemAgain]

what was it redd fox used to say.......oh yeah! you big dummy, he lost, didn't he?

[base2final]

When you overspend your opponent by $15 million and bring in the Democrat heavy hitters like Hillary, Bill, and Obama, you raise the probability that you'll win. Also when you use the same old Republicans don't want woman to have birth control or abortions, you might win. Third and finally you give money to a third party candidate to take votes away from the Republican, you increase your chances of winning.

The real question is with all this outside money and personalities, why wasn't the margin of victory much bigger??

The left can celebrate but it was a weak win, and this was good news for Republicans.  This small margin of victory shows the affect Obamacare will have on future races.

[ProblemAgain]

piffle

[LoveLife&Laughter]

"When you overspend your opponent by $15 million and bring in the Democrat heavy hitters like Hillary, Bill, and Obama, you raise the probability that you'll win."

Sí, eso es cierto

However, whose fault is it that deep pocket R pockets dried up for Ken et.al.?  More moderate Rs are cutting off the R crazies.

You need to research a little deeper than the talking points my friend.  But then again, that's what you have us for  :0)

[ProblemAgain]

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What GOP can learn from Cuccinelli's tanking bid in Virginia

By John Avlon, CNN Contributor

updated 8:26 AM EST, Tue November 5, 2013

Conservative Republicans can take a lesson from the extremist -- and failing -- candidacy of Ken Cuccinelli, John Avlon says.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• John Avlon: Ken Cuccinelli appears too extreme for swing voters in Virginia
• Democrat Terry McAuliffe would be vulnerable against almost any other Republican, he says
• Avlon: Cuccinelli's candidacy symbolizes trouble GOP faces in 2014, 2016 elections
• The run to the right shows what not to do nationally and in Virginia, he says

Editor's note: John Avlon, a CNN contributor and senior columnist and executive editor of The Daily Beast, is the author of "Independent Nation" and "Wingnuts." He won the National Society of Newspaper Columnists' award for best online column in 2012.

(CNN) -- Virginia is a cautionary tale for conservatives this year. And those Republicans who always argue that their party wins when it moves further to the right are going to have a lot of explaining to do after Election Day.

Polls show that "teavangelist" Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is going down to a decisive defeat in the governor's race against an exceptionally flawed Democratic candidate, Terry McAuliffe, the former Democratic National Committee chairman and Clinton fund-raiser.

The reason is simple: Cuccinelli is too extreme for swing voters in Virginia -- and that neatly symbolizes the GOP's problem as it looks to the congressional midterms of 2014 and the presidential campaign of 2016.

John Avlon

The problems have been long brewing in Virginia. Once a Republican bastion, the Old Dominion began to turn from red to purple in 2008 when Barack Obama became the first Democrat to win the state since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. But in true swing state fashion, Virginia turned around and elected conservative Bob McDonnell governor in 2009; he managed to win by 17 points, cloaking his conservatism in a family-friendly demeanor.

Obama won the state again in 2012, buoyed by demographic changes and the increasing wealth in the region around Washington. Nonetheless, a centrist Republican might still have been well-positioned to win Virginia's governorship in this off-year election. But that does not remotely describe Cuccinelli.

A tea party favorite and self-described "Second Amendment-supporting Christian right-to-life home-school dad," Cuccinelli has built a political career on a foundation of strident social conservatism. "homosexuality is wrong," supporting abstinence-only sex education and devoting himself to abortion restrictions as a matter of faith and law, Cuccinelli has been eager to use political office to advance an ideological agenda.

As attorney general he sued to stop the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, challenged the Environmental Protection Agency's fuel-efficiency standards, backed the controversial Arizona illegal immigration law and issued a legal opinion that sexual orientation should not be included in nondiscrimination statutes for the University of Virginia.

His extreme play-to-the-base conservative reputation was only accelerated by the selection at the state convention of E.W. Jackson as his running mate for lieutenant governor. He's an African-American evangelical pastor with a knack for saying things such as the following: Democrats are "anti-Christian, anti-Bible, anti-family, anti-life and anti-God"; "Liberalism and their ideas have done more to kill black folks whom they claim so much to love than the Ku Klux Klan, lynching and slavery and Jim Crow ever did," and "Obama clearly has Muslim sensibilities. He sees the world and Israel from a Muslim perspective."

Gingrich: McAuliffe has 'Clinton machine'

What to expect on Election Day 2013

Hillary Clinton rallies for McAuliffe

Add this all together and you have the most far-right statewide ticket in recent memory.

Not surprisingly, centrists and other swing voters are looking elsewhere.

Libertarian candidate Robert Sarvis is polling a respectable 10% -- an indication of the political costs that come from such strident social conservatism, even among fellow travelers on the center-right. Women voters are supporting McAuliffe by 20% -- a cavernous gap that reflects Cuccinelli's social conservative obsession. Against almost any other Republican, McAuliffe would be vulnerable, but not Cuccinelli.

October's GOP-driven government shutdown caused Cuccinelli to play defense, reversing longtime rhetoric by suddenly denouncing the effort to force a delay in Obamacare's implementation and even refusing to be photographed with Sen. Ted Cruz for fear of further alienating swing voters.

At the gubernatorial debates, the defiant culture warrior was reduced to bleating about the importance of bipartisanship and compromise -- laugh lines if you knew the first thing about Cuccinelli's record.

Cuccinelli's problems must be seen side by side with the success of another Republican running for governor -- Chris Christie. The New Jersey incumbent is cruising to re-election by a broad margin in a state where only 20% of voters are registered Republicans. He is narrowly winning nonwhite voters, and winning women by a 20-point margin.

The difference between the two candidates is self-evident -- Christie has governed as an unapologetic centrist Republican with a no-nonsense focus on fighting for fiscal discipline rather than an obsession with social conservatism. He has built cross-aisle coalitions, even on controversial policy proposals, and reached out beyond the base. He puts problem-solving ahead of partisanship or ideology. In other words, Christie is pretty much the opposite of Cuccinelli, and that's why he is winning in an otherwise ugly year for Republicans.

Conservatives will come up with lots of reasons why a swing state such as Virginia seems to be slipping away. But let's cut to the chase -- candidates who specialize only in playing to the base and pushing ideological absolutism lose. Extremes are always ultimately their own side's worst enemy. And Cuccinelli's last desperate attempts to present himself as a bipartisan problem-solver or a libertarian are really just evidence of the political bankruptcy of his position.

For those conservatives who always argue that moving more rigidly to the right is the answer to all the Republican Party's political problems, the toxic Cuccinelli-Jackson ticket is providing an enduring Exhibit A in making the opposite case. It is an example of what not to do -- nationally and especially in must-win swing states such as Virginia

[ProblemAgain]

Look Whose Ugly Virginia Transvaginal Mess Got On “Cooch” Cuccinell...

Hoping to steer clear of Governor Bob “Transvaginal Ultrasound Probe” McDonnell’s rapidly expanding scandal-y mess of money-grubbing and grifting, it looks like GOP gubernatorial nominee Ken Cuccinelli got some ugly mess all up on him after all:

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Gov. Bob McDonnell’s (R-VA) company and family may have received an additional $120,000 from Star Scientific CEO Jonnie R. Williams Sr. beyond the tens of thousands in gifts previously reported — payments which are already the subject of both federal and state investigations. McDonnell’s endorsed would-be successor, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R) denied any involvement in the controversy on Monday, but his connections to Williams and Star Scientific run broad and deep.

Cooch says: not gonna happen, nothing to see here, no connection, please move along:

Harris asked if he was concerned about the possibility of his campaign being damaged close to election day if the case were to go to trial.

“I’m not worried,” he replied. “I mean, this isn’t related to me so the case will take the course it should. My main concern as an attorney general is simply that the truth be brought out.”

“So nothing will come out about your involvement?” Harris asked. Cuccinelli replied, “Well there is no involvement, so, you know, there’s nothing to come out.”

Oh, except as an investor:

Though as of 2012, Star Scientific has reported annual losses for a decade, just one Virginia elected official or candidate invested upwards of $10,000 in the company: Cuccinelli. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, Star Scientific is the only significant holding he has reported since his first filing in 2003. Cuccinelli, whose position makes him the Commonwealth of Virginia’s lawyer, did not follow state disclosure law and disclose this investment in a timely manner. After the controversy became public, he sold off the stock.

Surely the GOP’s gubernatorial nominee has learned from the Governor’s mistakes, though, and been completely up-front about his involvement with “Star Scientific” — right?

Cuccinelli also initially failed to fully disclose the gifts he received from Williams — omissions he called “inadvertent.” Williams provided the attorney general with free lodging at his homes, $6,711 worth of supplements, transportation to New York City and Kentucky, and an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner. All totaled, Cuccinelli reported accepting at least $18,893 in gifts from Williams between 2009 and 2012.

At least there’s *one* lesson to take away from Governor Transvaginal’s troubles with “Star Scientific,” though — surely nothing Cooch has done could be construed as a benefit to the corporation?

Star Scientific also may have benefited from having Cuccinelli as attorney general. In 2010, Cuccinelli issued an official advisory opinion stating that the use of electronic cigarettes does not qualify as smoking and is thus permissible in public places. Cuccinelli has denied any conflict of interest, though the ruling was a boon to companies in the e-cig business — including Star Scientific. Additionally, his office has essentially ignored a court case brought by the company in July 2011 — though he claims that was “nothing unusual.” Star Scientific is challenging a $1.7 million tax bill, which remains unpaid while the case languishes. He has reportedly refused to say whether he ever discussed the case with Williams. Though his office initially denied any conflict of interest, he later recused himself.

Oh, goodness gracious! Look, a Cuccinelli/”Star Scientific” timeline! What could possibly be more damning!?

I sure hope those GOP convention delegates who nominated Cooch to run for Governor of Virginia have kept their organizing rules open and ready to rumble; it is pretty clear that while Governor Transvag Ultrasound’s eventual plea deal will probably include resigning his post, the GOP might also need to come up with another gubernatorial nominee before the campaign starts in earnest this fall. Cooch is neck-deep in the “Star Scientific” mess, maybe even deeper than McDonnell.

Hard to believe, but as a stockholder, it is entirely possible both Cooch’s public service liability and adherence to public disclosure regulations was terribly minimized.

We’ll see.

UPDATE: Spillage, per The Richmonder, via Political Carnival:

Multiple sources in Richmond’s legal community have confirmed to me that the investigation of Star Scientific by state and federal prosecutors turned up what they feel is sufficient evidence to charge Virginia’s Republican Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife Maureen with one or more felonies and in consequence, McDonnell is attempting to negotiate his resignation in exchange for no prosecution of Virginia’s first couple.

Also, from NBC’s First Read:

The question now becomes whether McDonnell’s fall from grace hurts gubernatorial nominee Ken Cuccinelli, who Democrats point out also has close ties to Jonnie Williams (including accepting gifts from him). The Cuccinelli campaign responds that Cucinelli’s AG office initiated this investigation, and they don’t believe McAuliffe will be a credible messenger to attack them on this issue. But it’s hard to see how this doesn’t hurt Cuccinelli, because he needs to court moderates and the GOP business community, and right now McDonnell looks to be toxic to help him with those groups. Meanwhile, the Cuccinelli campaign is hitting Democratic gubernatorial nominee Terry McAuliffe for campaigning today with Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley. “Gov. O’Malley signed the largest tax increase in Maryland history and earned a ‘D’ rating for supporting increased spending and higher taxes. He supports the war on coal, Obamacare, and even forced non-union teachers to pay union fees,” the Cuccinelli campaign says in a release.

[exedir]

The democrat won because he had the most votes, the rest, is probably over thinking what happened, the same applies to New Jersey, as the republican won, and it so happens by a massive landslide.

Other than noting the winners and losers, there is so much noise in the results due to so many extraneous subjects and events, such as, opposition to ObamaCare and the government shutdown, it is dangerous to extrapolate almost anything, fun though it may be.

What this does do, is flip the calendar to a new page, and that new page starts with the off-year elections of 2014. 

[LoveLife&Laughter]

The Democrat won because he had more Republican votes than the Republican did.

Burying your head in the sand and pretending it's not your politics is too silly.

[Lifesighs]

All that money didn't work for Mitt did it?

Take it from me, women are pissed off at these morons. The guy pictured with the post is so idiotic, he is like a living cartoon of what a moron is.

[ProblemAgain]

you don't follow orders so good do ya?....LOLOLOLOL

always interesting how many think a good christian woman takes orders from ANY idiot in a hat