The boss, writing for Politico magazine:
A race to watch: Gillespie-Warner for VA Senate.
Virginia has been at the center of the last decade’s politics. In 2006, Jim Webb’s upset of George Allen put an exclamation point on the collapse of a decade-long GOP congressional majority. On the other hand, in state contests in 2009 and congressional races in 2010, Virginia swung Republican in a big way. In 2008 and 2012, Barack Obama’s success in Virginia was taken to be emblematic of a new Democratic presidential majority. And in 2013, the Democratic sweep of Virginia’s constitutional offices was thought to expose deep and lasting rifts within the GOP and to confirm a demographically predestined Democratic future.
Not so fast! In 2014, Republican Ed Gillespie will challenge the heretofore supposedly safe Democratic incumbent, Sen. Mark Warner. Gillespie will defeat him. His victory will epitomize the story of 2014: an Obamacare-inspired Republican wave, one that will not only sweep out red-state Democrats, but will also produce a gaggle of Republicans coming to the Senate to represent states Obama carried, including New Hampshire, Iowa, Michigan … and Virginia. Then we can all get to work over-interpreting the meaning of 2014.
Virginia has been at the center of the last decade’s politics. In 2006, Jim Webb’s upset of George Allen put an exclamation point on the collapse of a decade-long GOP congressional majority. On the other hand, in state contests in 2009 and congressional races in 2010, Virginia swung Republican in a big way. In 2008 and 2012, Barack Obama’s success in Virginia was taken to be emblematic of a new Democratic presidential majority. And in 2013, the Democratic sweep of Virginia’s constitutional offices was thought to expose deep and lasting rifts within the GOP and to confirm a demographically predestined Democratic future.
Not so fast! In 2014, Republican Ed Gillespie will challenge the heretofore supposedly safe Democratic incumbent, Sen. Mark Warner. Gillespie will defeat him. His victory will epitomize the story of 2014: an Obamacare-inspired Republican wave, one that will not only sweep out red-state Democrats, but will also produce a gaggle of Republicans coming to the Senate to represent states Obama carried, including New Hampshire, Iowa, Michigan … and Virginia. Then we can all get to work over-interpreting the meaning of 2014.
