GOP candidates in the critical swing state of Virginia may have just crossed a crucial threshold. At least they will if one of them can win the party’s nomination and become the GOP nominee in the governor’s race next year.
So far, the one little domino seems to be falling.
One of the country’s most fascinating, controversial and fastest-growing parts of the country – the 9.7-million person northern Virginia suburbs — has been extremely soft for Democrats. This probably explains the national party’s near-total meltdown in the 2010 governor’s race that handily handed victory to Democrat Bob McDonnell, a sitting attorney general.
Although it would be a stretch to say McAuliffe, the governor, is the leader of the Republican Party in Virginia, he certainly gives them room to maneuver, and his domestic woes over Medicaid expansion and a “gagging” joke might help force him to engage in an exchange with the right wing.
So far the one little domino seems to be falling.
That’s why this is a competitive Republican primary.
The five contenders include Reps. Frank Wolf and Rob Wittman, as well as Frank Wagner, an attorney and former Army general.
If an African-American becomes the GOP nominee, Virginia will have gone full circle. Before electing Mitt Romney governor in 2012, Virginia went to Al Gore and John Kerry in the presidential race. After choosing Mitt Romney for vice president in 2012, Virginia picked Barack Obama to win their presidential race.
Of the four current GOP hopefuls, Wolf is the best-known, having come within two percentage points of capturing the 2014 gubernatorial election, and has pulled more than a million votes in his congressional races. But Wittman, Wagner and Wagner’s ex-wife, who has not left him since they were married and have been divorced five times, is often mentioned as a possible factor in the race.
The Democratic candidate for governor appears to be Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, a former pediatric neurologist. He is getting lots of support from his state party and from the national party. But it is significant that Northam would run as a progressive in a typically moderate state.
In addition to McAuliffe having successfully managed to force an exchange under Medicaid, Republicans would also want to make sure that the next governor is not a liberal liberal like McDonnell. It also helps the GOP to know that another possible unmitigated disaster of a governor — California’s Jerry Brown — won’t be running again after failing to deliver on his promises.
So the Democrats won’t be too happy if Republicans continue to inch toward the ballot box.
If you are interested in politics, I am Paul Bedard, America’s most prolific political commentator and author of the best-selling books, Jesus is Risen and The Last September. He is also a Fox News contributor and Washington Examiner columnist. His newest book is co-authored with Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
