Gerry Connolly just screamed "*EXPLETIVE* DOUG DENNENY" as he left the party and then looked in horror when he realized others were standing outside smoking.
Also interesting in the exit- Gerry held out his arms as he left and James Walkinshaw put his coat on him. James has slipped from legitimate political staffer into coat duty for Mayor Quimby?!?!?! HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Straw Poll Results:
Hillary Clinton 56%
Barack Obama 44%
(Very Close- good job to both sides)
---------------------------
Leslie Byrne 52%
Doug Denneny 22%
Gerry Connolly 13%
Lori Alexander 11%
Chris Ambrose 2%
Ouch- like the Raising Kaine poll, Doug pulls past Gerry into second place.
I saw the coat thing also. Gerry held out his arms and shook his hands and James put it on him. It wasn't unnatural at all, clearly this was not the first time.
Posted by: | February 02, 2008 at 09:20 PM
Oh please tell me there was media witness?
As for James, he would become a national blogosphere hero if he quit the Connolly/Jennison/Burke team.
Posted by: Idiot | February 02, 2008 at 09:20 PM
Who is Chris Ambrose?
Posted by: Va Blogger | February 02, 2008 at 09:25 PM
He got a write in vote- I don't think he is actually running.
Posted by: Not Larry Sabato | February 02, 2008 at 09:26 PM
WOW WOW WOW
If Chris got one write-in vote, then that means that only seven or eight people voted for Connolly???
1. Connolly
2. Jennison
3. G. Burke
4. S. Bunn
5. J. Walkinshaw
6. ??
7. ??
8. ??
You know it is lonely when you can figure out who DID NOT vote for you.
Posted by: Idiot | February 02, 2008 at 09:41 PM
8 for Gerry is right- your list is hysterical and probably right on.
Posted by: Not Larry Sabato | February 02, 2008 at 09:55 PM
Doug Denneny, who really just entered the political scene a few months ago because he was in the Navy, must be running one heck of a campaign if he's getting twice the number of votes as someone who just spent a million bucks on a re-election bid. It looks like it could be him instead of Gerry Connolly who is Leslie's closest competition for the nomination.
Posted by: Bryan J. Scrafford | February 02, 2008 at 10:01 PM
I know Mt. Vernon is not Gerry's strong suit, but this is pretty bad. I love the irony of a straw poll coming back to haunt Gerry.
Posted by: notgretchenbulova | February 02, 2008 at 10:09 PM
Actually NGB, Mt Vernon was not in the old 11th- so this is one of two districts in this 11th that has never been represented by Leslie- but they have been by Gerry- so it should have been his stronghold.
Posted by: Not Larry Sabato | February 02, 2008 at 10:20 PM
I mentioned to James Walkinshaw that NLS's attacks don't hurt Connolly. In fact, they remind people that Connolly is running. James said that so far they had not hurt.
Posted by: Jonathan Mark | February 02, 2008 at 10:34 PM
NLS - I wouldn't label something a "stronghold" just b/c he has represented them before. Leslie doesn't have a name ID problem in Mt. Vernon. You have to admit Providence is really his "stronghold", although of course it's debatable whether he is even preferred there either.
Posted by: notgretchenbulova | February 02, 2008 at 11:01 PM
Ben, what the...? Not a word about the party itself? The many excellent items for the Silent Auction? The gorgeous decorations? Dude, did you even try the gumbo?
We just got back and we are all exhausted but happy. I think it went well and I'd say everybody had a good time--even Gerry Connolly. He was quite gracious and charming, with many kind things to say.
Thanks again, Ben, for coming--I hope it wasn't all work for you.
Posted by: LAS | February 02, 2008 at 11:24 PM
LAS, great event. I even gave $100 to support MVDDC since they are doing more than any other committee in Fairfax.
Posted by: Not Larry Sabato | February 02, 2008 at 11:46 PM
This was definitely a huge Hillary crowd tonight!!! Way to go!
Posted by: | February 02, 2008 at 11:50 PM
An event write up without discussion of fashion? This isn't the NLS I know.
Posted by: | February 02, 2008 at 11:56 PM
Ben, that was really very kind of you. You know we will put it to good use!
Anon at 11:56, you will be happy to hear, I'm sure, that Leslie wore a gorgeous pink jacket that suited her coloring very well. The sartorial star, however, was Jim Moran, who arrived in black-tie and looked splendid.
Creigh Deeds and Brian Moran were both there-- harbingers for next year's gubernatorial straw poll, I guess.
Posted by: LAS | February 03, 2008 at 12:13 AM
Yes he did - and thanks Ben for supporting us.
Posted by: Janet Myhre-Chair MVDDC | February 03, 2008 at 12:19 AM
Nail bitin time: Three California polls out this morning, and Zogby has Obama up 4, while Field goes the other way. Mason-Dixon gives her a slightly larger lead.
On the other hand, RELAX. They're both outstanding candidates. Kind of like having to choose between Ginger and that other girl on Gilligan's Island.
Posted by: TDH | February 03, 2008 at 09:12 AM
Wow. Yet another example of Connolly being a frigging a-hole.
Didn't he go to Seminary? Where did he learn those bad words?
Posted by: Loudoun Insider | February 03, 2008 at 11:59 AM
Ben, tell the truth...
Connolly wasn't even on the ballot. Byrne, Denneny, and Alexander were listed by name.
Anyone voting for Connolly had to write in his name.
Connolly is not yet a candidate and he didn't ask anyone to vote for him in his short speech.
Forget listing the percentages. How many votes did Byrne get? How many people from the 11th District were there?
Posted by: | February 03, 2008 at 03:51 PM
Ha- what a Connolly hack. The speeches were AFTER the vote- and everyone in the 11th knew Gerry was running and they could write him in- it was a paper ballot, very easy to write in. He wasn't listed by name because the others filed before Tom Davis dropped out- Gerry isn't officially a candidate yet. Maybe this will send him a hint on whether people want him to become a candidate.
Posted by: Not Larry Sabato | February 03, 2008 at 04:17 PM
yeah, a random, meaningless straw poll will deter him or anyone from running for office. keep on believing that...
Posted by: | February 03, 2008 at 07:57 PM
Anonymous 7:57, the poll must be representative of something or Connolly's supporters wouldn't be trying to dismiss the results and Doug and Leslie supporters wouldn't be using the poll as a good sign.
I think something that is really worth noting is that these results were from a committee event and, as Ben mentioned, are similar to the results from a poll over at Raising Kaine from a few weeks ago. In other words, both the netroots and the "political establishment" of the committee are thinking the same thing..... Leslie would make an excellent nominee.
Posted by: Bryan J. Scrafford | February 03, 2008 at 10:52 PM
simple algebra gives you numbers. If Gerry got about 8 votes, there are about 62 people who voted, and Leslie got about 32 of them. As for how many were from the 11th, that error would in theory spread equally among all candidates.
Posted by: woman of choice | February 04, 2008 at 07:35 AM
Sorry, meant those NOT from 11th
Posted by: woman of choice | February 04, 2008 at 07:46 AM