"Cut and Run?"

Ed Gillespie lives in a mansion on the Potomac River in the Mt. Vernon section of Fairfax County.  According to the Politico he is thinking of throwing on a swim suit and swimming back up to D.C. soon:

"RICHMOND, Va. – Former Republican national chairman Ed Gillespie has emerged as a potential replacement to Dan Bartlett as counselor to President Bush, friends say.

Questioned about the prospect Saturday night at a fundraising dinner for the Virginia GOP, which he now chairs, Gillespie said he was “flattered at the notion.”

“It’s not for me to rule it in or out,” he added. “You’ll have to ask the president.”

Wow.  His focus on the Virginia 2007 Elections lasted until.... the primaries?

(HT:  Elephant Ears)

Comments

[notroberthurt]

This shouldn't be surprising. It will probably serve as the basement for RPV.

From 1997-2000, RPV was the best state party in the nation. I forget the numbers, but their record in special elections was amazing. After 2000, all six statewide officials were Republican as was the GA.

Then the descent began. The Katzen screw-up was the first sign. All the powers that be kept saying that Katzen was not a statewide guy, yet somehow the glue came undone and he ended up on the ticket. Then 02 with the Matricardi and Wilkens fiascoes. In 04, the GOP just got its lunch handed to it by Warner exploiting its divisions on the budget bill. 06 saw one of the worst campaigns in the nation and the WORST field operation I've ever seen. Allen's loss has to blamed in part on the absence of any semblence of a field organization which rests solely on the state party. The Democrats completely dominated the mechanics game and NoVa saw the worst of it as Webb's folks were everywhere and Allen's were AWOL so often.
Now a Chairman may leave after 6 months on the job.....perhaps this is a basement from the halcyon days of 97-00.

[LoudounYoungDem]

Unlikely scenario. If he joins the White House, he'll have to give up his lobbying work, and then how on earth will he pay the mortage on his lovely estate on the Potomac?

[GinterParked]

Well, I'm all in favor of mansion-dwellers opting for government service. If this comes to pass, I hope, sincerely, that he'll do as much for our president as he did for the RPV.

[Not Ben]

notroberthurt: "After 2000, all six statewide officials were Republican as was the GA."

There are only three statewide office in Virginia: Gov., LG, and AG.

[ZB]

Not Ben,

One could argue that the U.S. Senators are statewide officeholders.

After Robb's defeat in 2000, the GOP controlled both as well as the Gov, LG, and AG positions.

I can only could five though, not six.

[ZB]

Not Ben,

One could argue that the U.S. Senators are statewide officeholders.

After Robb's defeat in 2000, the GOP controlled both as well as the Gov, LG, and AG positions.

I can only countfive though, not six.

[ZB]

Not Ben,

One could argue that the U.S. Senators are statewide officeholders.

After Robb's defeat in 2000, the GOP controlled both as well as the Gov, LG, and AG positions.

I can only countfive though, not six.

[notroberthurt]

Apologies, I had a brain freeze. That should read 5 statewide offices (counting U.S. Senators)

[fannyboy]

Wag of the fanny to Ed Gillespie for being a coward...

Wag of the fanny to ZB for not knowing how a computer works...

and a giant wag of the fanny to NLS for giving me the image of Ed Gillespie in a swim suit.

[James Young]

That first comment was an interesting one. It comports with my observation that one of the pitfalls of a successful political movement is that it can elect any idiot to public office ... and frequently does.

[Not the Prince of Darkness]

notroberthurt
The glue came undone and Katzen ended up on the ticket when 1) Randy Forbes decided to run for Congress and 2) John Hager could not be convinced that running for Lt. Governor (again), was not a bad idea.
The political mastermind that ran Katzen's campaign was the current VCAP Exec. Director Robin DeJarnette.

Why is everyone going after poor Jay Katzen? He is a sweat heart... like the loveable, crazy old uncle or granddad everyone has but wishes they didn't. Plus, Jay wasn't about to step aside for Forbes or Hager after Coleman Andrews pushed him aside in 1997, then dropped out and opened the door for that turd John Hager to be the accidental LG... my only question is what the hell happened to LF Payne?

The damn shame for the GOP is that if Katzen had ever done anything to make anyone think he was going to win, the resources would have been there for him. Remember, he lost to Kaine by only about 2 percent in a year when the top of the ticket was winning handily but the Kilgore/McEachin race was a blow-out. Warner at that time had no coattails and Katzen might well have won. Instead he spent his money running 30 minute infomercials and had no campaign to speak of. so no one wanted to send money to a seemingly lost cause.

It would be a totally different set of history of he had won.

For as bad a field staff as there was in '06, the campaign staffs in '93 & '97 were fantastic. Same for the coordinated campaign between the Governor and the Party in '99 that took the majorities. And in 2000 they were the best in the country. It's tough to imagine that the same people who ran the best race in the nation in '00 could have turned around and run that stinker in '06.

Funny what 6 years of horrible policies will do to election results!!!

[Not the Prince of Darkness]

Allegedly Fasil Gil was Katzen's Field Director.

[Not the Prince of Darkness]

Anon 6:46 add the 2000 campaign staff to that list.

[Grapes]

Quitter.

agreed 11:37- that's what i meant, but may have been inartful in stating. In 2000 it was a seemless organization and was the only GOP Senate winner in the nation. You don't get any better than 2000.

[I love republican women]

Can someone please tell me who are the smart looking women in the photo?