Too Progressive

He’s apparently pig headed and it’s going to cost him the election. Via WaPo:

Senior administration officials have expressed frustration with how Democrat R. Creigh Deeds has handled his campaign for governor, refusing early offers of strategic advice and failing to reach out to several key constituencies that helped Obama win Virginia in 2008, they say.

A second administration official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Obama, Kaine and others had drawn a road map to victory in Virginia. Deeds chose another path.”

I wrote yesterday that I will not cast my vote for Creigh Deeds because of his statement during last nights debate proclaiming that he will opt Virginia out of a public option. Instead, I will be casting a write-in ballot and encourage others who are outraged by Deeds’ statement, but also don’t want to vote for McDonnell, to do the same.

I will be writing “public option” on my ballot and encourage others to do the same. Send a powerful message to the Deeds campaign who, let’s face it, has no chance of winning anyway, the DNC and Washington, DC. Let them know we want REAL health care reform, not a watered down compromise with the devil.

UPDATE: Real Democrats can win in Virginia (keyword: REAL).

Following tonight’s debate where Creigh Deeds decided that he would opt out of the public option if elected governor, I’ve decided to do a little opt out of my own. Creigh Deeds will NOT be getting my vote on election day. I’ll be casting a write-in ballot. This will be only the second time since I turned 18 that I will be casting a vote AGAINST a Democrat. And I’ve voted in every special, primary and general election since I registered when I turned 18. Nice going, Creigh!!

Following tonight’s debate between Bob McDonnell and Creigh Deeds, McDonnell’s staff posted the following on his Twitter:

Bob closes by talking about leadership, service and getting Virginia’s economy back on track.

Hm, that’s funny. Virginia was recently named the number one state to do business in the U.S. Last year Virginia placed second. So one can only conclude that by “getting Virginia’s economy back on track” McDonnell clearly means he plans to wreck it. Kind of like our last Republican governor who ALMOST really fucked us on our bond rating. Way to go Taliban Bob!

After months of awkwardly running away from the Deeds campaign, Barack Obama will make a stop in the Commonwealth on October 27 to Campaign for Creigh.

More to come…

7:49pm update: WaPo via The Virginia Democrat:

The Deeds campaign surely hopes the visit, confirmed by the White House and the campaign, will motivate core Democratic voters inspired by Obama’s effort last year. It should also put to rest some of the chattering about whether the White House was backing off Deeds’ effort, with polls showing him trailing.

Announcement from the Deeds campaign expected within the next few days.

Via Daily Kos:

This is pretty much unchanged, from the toplines (just float within the MoE), to the favorability numbers.

These findings are quite different from Rasmussen’s latest Virginia poll, which found McDonnell with a narrow 48-46 lead, and seeming evidence that McDonnell’s college thesis had hurt his numbers:

Pretty odd that left-leaning Daily Kos shows Deeds trailing McDonnell by a wider margin than does Rasmussen - who tends to lean right.

Creigh Deeds holds an enormous lead early in today’s Gubernatorial primary. With around fifty percent of precincts reporting Deeds is winning nearly every county you’ve heard of and racking up huge percentages in every county you’ve never heard of. I can’t really foresee Terry McAuliffe or Brian Moran overcoming the deficit. I suppose assault weapon lovers of Virginia will sleep a little easier tonight.

A pretty scathing piece from Vivian regarding McAuliffe campaign pollsters. At least to those of us who actually expect our leaders to adhere to the law.

Rich Savaged announced on his website today that he is suspending his campaign for Lieutenant Governor due to the “financial burden” caused by the recent economic downturn:

Today I made the decision to permanently suspend my campaign for Lt. Governor. The worsening economic downturn presents too great a financial hurdle for my campaign to overcome.

I am thankful for the support that so many Virginians have given to me, and am proud of the work we have done together. While I did not achieve my goal of becoming Lt. Governor, I am proud of the voice we raised in this campaign for education reform.

The necessity of rebuilding our state’s intellectual infrastructure does not end with my campaign. Tomorrow, the facts remain:

Last year, Richmond city’s schools suspended more students than they graduated.

The United States trails in science and in math when compared with other countries.

Virginia needs to lead in education in order to take advantage of new job opportunities.

I call on the candidates who remain in the race – all of them good people and capable leaders – to seize the mantle of education reform. I will certainly continue to speak out for innovative solutions to the challenges that our schools face.

Moving formard, I will redouble my efforts at the community level through my education foundation and my volunteer work with at-risk youth.

To my family, friends and supporters, I am eternally grateful for your belief in me and the vision we share for a better Virginia.

Rich Savage

Republican State Senator Ken Cuccinelli is expected to possibly finalize the 2009 Republican ticket on Monday by declaring for Virginia Attorney General on Monday.   With Bill Bolling having declared last week that he will run for re-election as Lt. Governor and AG Bob McDonnell having already declared he will run for Governor, it could be a McDonnell-Bolling-Cuccinelli ticket for the Republicans.  Apparently Virginia Republicans still haven’t wised up to the fact that the politics of Virginia are rapidly changing and we’re no longer going to elect ultra conservatives to office.

A patent lawyer and conservative Republican, Cuccinelli was elected to the General Assembly in a 2002 special election. He has been re-elected to the state Senate twice, most recently last year when he retained his office by a margin of about 100 votes.

His office Friday announced a Monday afternoon press conference in Fairfax County.

Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling will seek a second term next year instead of challenging Attorney General Bob McDonnell for the Republican Gubernatorial nomination. Bolling stated that “family finances” and “the necessity of building a new business” prevented him from running a costly full-time campaign. Bolling also stated that he would fully support Bob McDonnell.

Bolling said he will support McDonnell and said his decision would unify the GOP ticket next year after two consecutive gubernatorial losses.

“Bob McDonnell and I are stronger running together than either of us would be running individually,” Bolling said.

“The party will line up behind this ticket, a ticket that can beat anything the Democrats throw our way,” he said.

Bolling also hinted at a 2013 run:

Bolling, 50, said he finalized his decision about two weeks ago but had been leaning toward staying put for several months. By 2013, he said, he will have his mortgage paid, the last of his children out of college and his business on sounder footing.

I’m posting this from work so I don’t have much time to comment, but here’s the email his campaign sent out this morning:

Dear Friends,

Under the leadership of Governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, we have experienced significant progress in the last few years. Because of their optimistic, commonsense approach to solving problems, we have all been proud to call Virginia our home. Today I’m announcing my campaign for Governor to continue that tradition of moving Virginia forward.

Please visit my new website at www.DeedsforVirginia.com to view my announcement video and join my campaign.

The election for Governor in 2009 will offer every Virginian a choice: do we continue and build upon the work of Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, or do we chart a different course that embraces the attack politics and policies of George W. Bush’s wing of the Republican Party?

I believe that Warner-Kaine approach is the better way to keep Virginia the best place to live, work and raise a family. And, that better way is how I will lead us forward if given the privilege to serve as your next Governor. For me, it’s about creating opportunity in every corner of Virginia: building a modern transportation system that moves our state and our economy forward, creating a research-based economy that develops new sources of alternative energy by investing in our colleges and universities, and retooling our community college system so we can train for the jobs of the 21st century.

I invite you to please join me.

Very Truly Yours,

Senator Deeds

GO CREIGH!!