Is The Virginia Senate Next?

Hopefully all 22 Democratic members of the Virginia Senate will be reading this link today and thinking about the public identity they need to create in the next 12 months to avoid disaster.

Comments

[Cleisthenes]

Great article.

Democrats in the Virginia Senate can avoid disaster by showing the sort of good sense and courage that is lacking in Democrats in Congress right now.

Stand up for good government and financial responsibility. Don't support reform schemes that are almost certain not to work. And if voters do not like what you are up to, please do not jump to the conclusion that the fault must lie with the voters, not the Democrats.

[Ghost of RWR]

Here’s your more immediate problem, one month out. This IS a referendum on Obama. To think otherwise is folly:

President Obama Job Approval

Poll Date Sample Approve Disapprove Spread
RCP Average 9/14 - 9/29 44.8 51.3 -6.5
Rasmussen Reports
9/27 - 9/29 1500 LV 45 55 -10
Gallup
9/26 - 9/28 1547 A 45 49 -4
NBC News/Wall St. Jrnl
9/22 - 9/26 1000 A 46 49 -3
CNN/Opinion Research
9/21 - 9/23 1010 A 42 54 -12
Politico/GWU/Battleground
9/19 - 9/22 1000 LV 46 51 -5
Reuters/Ipsos
9/16 - 9/19 1161 A 47 50 -3
FOX News
9/14 - 9/16 900 RV 42 52 -10
McClatchy/Marist
9/14 - 9/16 815 RV 45 50 -5

And of course how will this election among state legislatures impact redistricting….not just in Virginia but across the nation where congressional lines will be on the table?

[not anyone in particular]

Still waiting on your progressive score card for Senate Dems and your reditricting outlook for the Senate...I am starting to think you are a Senatephobe...you give all the love to the House...just kidding...just really like your analysis

[kelley in virginia]

i want analysis on Senate redistricting too.

But I thought we were going to get analysis of Congressional races? Is it too early or too fluid?

[Republican Walker]

I agree with Ghost.

I'm reminded of Democratic GOTV lit I saw in 2007 senate races, when not a single federal election was on the ballot, that had pictures of President George W Bush and language about the Iraq War as the reason to vote for local Democrats.

As dumb as that was, it worked.

[Gordon Sumner]

Let's boycott until we get our state senate and congressional analyses.

[YKW]

Great article. This year, fore the first time in about 80 years, there were more Republican primary voters than Democrat ones. Maybe that is also a harbinger of things to come.

As far as the Virginia State Senate goes, it would be interesting to know who, especially of the older generation of Democrats, might be retiring.

[not anyone in particular]

My early guess...no Democratic retirements

[not anyone in particular]

Ibet Stosch, Qualye and Blevins say goodbye

[SE VA MWC Alum]

Guessing that Colgan will retire. The other wild card (a big one) is redistricting. Will the House and Senate defer to each others plans as is tradition. Or will they try to change each othes since they are in the hands of different parties? A lost of unanswered questions here

[not a virginia state senator]

Nope Colgan stays and yes they will defer to one another...otherwise Obama Justice Department gets involved.......

[Bwana]

The Obama Justice Department will get involved one way or the other-the Virginia redistricting plan requires DOJ preclearance under the Voting Rights Act.

[Brian W. Schoeneman]

They could always just go to the DC District Court rather than go through the AG, but regardless of what they do, it will have to be precleared.