Full disclosure, I voted for Creigh Deeds in 2005. So did most other voters since he only lost by about 325 votes in a statewide election with nearly 2 million voters. At that time, he not only had the NRA endorsement, but I knew he was willing to step up as a Democratic leader for sportsmen. He was running on his own record, one that a non-affiliated, Republican-leaning, little-l libertarian, could generally get behind. I realized that we may not agree on everything, but for the issues I cared about, he was slightly better than McDonnell at the time.
By the time the 2009 primary rolled around and he had run a little left. He didn’t run far left, mind you, but a little left. Deeds threw gun controllers a bone while McDonnell had strengthened his record – a feat hard to do in the position of Attorney General where you generally shy away from policy. Deeds can’t keep it straight when it comes to tax policy.
This is a much different race than 2005 and Bitter is right; it is a lot different running for the top of the ticket than for the bottom of the ticket. It appears that the Democrats should have at least asked Deeds what his plan was to get Virginia moving again before allowing him to coast to victory after the Moran/McAuliffe bloodletting took place. It also goes to show a candidate does not help himself by trying to be all things to all people. Throwing a bone to the anti-rights folks on the so-called gun show loophole only succeeded in making Deeds look like he was a calculating politician rather than a principled individual that felt strongly on an issue.
There are a little over three weeks left in the campaign but if Deeds doesn't find a message that resonates with the voters soon, the Democrats eight year hold on the Executive Mansion will come to an end.
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