MAJOR 2009 SHAKEUP

BILL BOLLING ANNOUNCES FOR RE-ELECTION AS LT. GOVERNOR.

THIS MAKES BOB MCDONNELL (The "R" stands for Regent) THE PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE FOR GOVERNOR.

PRESSURE IS LIKELY TO BUILD ON DEMOCRATS TO SETTLE THE FIELD ASAP.

DEVELOPING...

Comments

Kenny Alexander better get ready for a tough one.

[RichmondDem (Not J.C.)]

Well its time to get behind Creigh Deeds then.

[Dan Geroe]

Don't see how we settle it without a primary. Both Brian and Creigh want it too much.

[Not Larry Sabato]

I don't care what Brian and Creigh want, we need to take an objective look at who is strongest against Bob McDonnell. Nothing else matters.

Ben--

R for Regent?

What happened to the Not Larry Sabato I knew that said:

"I have NEVER questioned him just for attending Regent. I could care less where anyone goes to school, and that doesn't bother me at all....Again, I could care less that he chose the school."

I think I would rather go to Regent and get an education then not get a college education at all ... don't you agree, Ben?

[notgretchenbulova]

By this logic, shouldn't Hillary have dropped out months ago?

NLS sure did drop the bomb on McDonnell, huh....voters everywhere will question Regent, won't they (ha, it won't make the top 10 list of concerns).

[You Walked Into This]

So does this set up a Republican nomination fight for Governor in 2013 between LG Bolling and AG Cuccinelli?

[RedVirginia]

Bolling should have stayed in. He has been on the right side of the issues and would have had a fairly easy convention.

One thing to watch is if the PWC Board of Supervisors now resolve their tax rate standoff with Corey's 2009 plans put on ice.

[RichmondDem (Not J.C.)]

Ben-

How on Earth will Brian Moran win anywhere south of the Rappahannock?

[learn virginia]

Creigh Deeds lost Loudoun County in 2005- even though Kaine and Byrne won it.

With McDonnell at the top of the ticket, who's from Northern Virginia and lives in Hampton Roads, we can't afford to have someone with lackluster performance in the key Democratic areas as our nominiee.

Winning big in Southwest Virginia would be nice, but if we lose NOVA and Hampton Roads to McDonnell then we are toast.

We need Moran.

NLS criticizing where someone else got a law degree? What a tool.

I believe the voters of Virginia knew McDonnell's CV in 2005, and they elected him to be the Attorney General. If knocking Regent is the best you can, then get ready to say Governor McDonnell.

[Church Hill Dem]

RichmondDem,

How will Creigh win anywhere with a population density above 1 per square mile?

Though Creigh is a bright fellow, his window of opportunity has closed and his popularily, albeit close to success, last time was mostly exogenous -- every Republican had an uphill battle and he was effectively running on Mark Warner's coattails just like Kaine.

[Church Hill Dem]

PS: Anon 1:50 is right. McDonnell, unfortunately, is a great candidate.

[RichmondDem (Not J.C.)]

Everyone would do well to remember Deeds was outspent in that race by a lot, and still damn near won.

Its not like he was the least popular candidate of that ticket. He did better than Byrne.

[RichmondDem (Not J.C.)]

Kaine was from outside of NOVA(most of his connections are in Richmond and Roanoke) and did extremely well there.

Jon Bowerbank will destroy Bill Bolling.

[BigDog]

Creigh is a very, bright likable fellow who has great appeal down-state. Moran would be well advised not to take Deeds lightly.

As for Alexander, today's announcement changes everything. Bolling will have the advantage over any 'D' challanger. He's been in campaign mode since 2005 and is very well known (and liked) accross all of Virginia.

[learn virginia]

RichmondDem -

Deeds also had 3X+ more money than Byrne. And barely did better.

Not a good comparison to make the case for Deeds.

[RichmondDem (Not J.C.)]

Please tell me which region Moran plays well in outside of NOVA.

The Warner/Kaine/Webb formula is win NOVA (which, face it, any Democrat can do), win at least one other region, and don't get swamped in the rest of the state.

I'm afraid Moran getting swamped in Southwest, the Valley, and the Richmond suburbs.

Moran could POSSIBLY make a strong showing in Hampton Roads, but the transient nature of the population there makes it hard to predict.

[notgretchenbulova]

Just to add to learn virginia...

Deeds didn't even have a primary to deal with so he could have banked money for months. Instead he raised some paltry sum of cash

[VA Blogger]

The only thing Bowerbank could destroy Bolling in is a goatee-growing contest.

Democrats would do themselves well to simply "pass" on the LG race by nomination Bowerbank. Let him spend as much money as he wants, and the party can try again in 2013 when Bolling is on his way to the Governor's Mansion.

Oh no, the Creightards have come out in force. Good thing they can all fit on the short bus back home...