Virginia's 2021 Statewide Races Update
Taking a stab at the statewide races while taking stock of Virginia's future.
A news report out of Mexico states that a woman, Leonora N., stabbed her husband, Juan N., after she found pictures on his phone of a younger woman.
It turns out the pictures were a younger Leonora.
After police arrived and de-escalated the confrontation, Juan was able to explain the situation to his wife in front of the local constables. This infuriated Leonora who then grabbed her knife away from the police officer holding the weapon. She then lunged again at Juan stabbing and screaming with each thrust:
RINO! RINO! RINO!
Ok. I made the RINO part up, but I think the analogy holds. Wait for it…wait for it…
Regardless, there is a Leonora and Juan N. in Sonora, Mexico heading to see:
A) the local judge and
B) a whole team of marriage counselors or
C) their divorce attorneys. Juan won’t need a team.
Nothing quite like living your entire life and having this be for what you are remembered.
Now, if Leonora were a state senator from Chesterfield County running for governor of the Commonwealth, she would just apologize for her husband being in the way of the stabbing knife.
Didn’t think I could bring that back to Virginia politics, did you? Please. Crazy is its own source of energy and content. Just connecting dots.
So, now that we are back to Virginia politics (you’re welcome), let’s catch up on things since the Joe Biden Administration is loving the cover being given by all the Bernie Sanders Mittens Memes.
Q. China policy or Mittens Memes?
A. Mittens Memes.
Scroll down for my favorite Mittens Meme via Real Goldman Sachs Elevator on Instagram.
I have been analyzing the campaign finance reports of the statewide candidates and will be updating my Candidate Rankings later today. If you would like to receive that ranking and analysis please hit the little blue button or join Virginia FREE by clicking HERE.
Here are my brief takeaways from the great data made public by the good folks over at VPAP. (Yes, you should donate to them AND Virginia FREE as well as your state and local chambers of commerce. Good government and a healthy free enterprise system don’t just happen.)
Reminder - Virginia FREE Fridays are at Noon via private Zoom. This week we will discuss the General Assembly, the Statewide Races here in Virginia, and take whatever questions you might have. Subscribe or Join.
Democratic candidate and former Governor Terry McAuliffe is the clear favorite at this point to win back the Executive Mansion.
In what could be the race for the Democratic nomination for 2025, former Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy is ahead of Senator Jennifer McClellan.
Republican member of the House of Delegates and former Speaker of the House, Kirk Cox, is gaining quickly on the GOP front runner for governor State Senator from Chesterfield County Amanda Chase. Cox was endorsed by five dozen Chesterfield County Republican leaders.
Chase is the GOP front runner by virtue of her early start, higher name ID, and larger social media following. Her behaviors are starting to catch up and Chase is now cut off from her 100K + followers on Facebook. #SadFace.
Three more GOP candidates - Glenn Youngkin, Sergio de la Pena, and Pete Snyder - have entered the race. Youngkin is the wild card given his resources and newcomer status.
Former Congressman Denver Riggleman said if Snyder or Chase are the nominees, “I know exactly what I will be doing this summer.” Riggleman likes Snyder personally but does not like what he has seen and heard about his campaign. He could get in the race regardless given his growing antipathy toward the GOP. Bet heavy on Riggleman formally leaving the GOP and NOT going away.
Big shake ups are taking place in the Lt. Governor nomination races in both parties.
Delegate Sam Rasoul is now the front runner for the Democrats based upon his strong fundraising numbers and donor base. Delegate Hala Ayala and Fairfax NAACP leader Sean Perryman also posted strong reports.
In the GOP race, new entrant former delegate Winsome Sears seems to have put together a credible campaign team. Current candidates former Delegate Tim Hugo and Delegate Glenn Davis are well ahead of Sears for now. This race is wide open.
The Attorney General nomination races are fascinating.
If the GOP is looking for diversity, putting African American Sears alongside their diverse Attorney General candidates in Cuban American Delegate Jason Miyares, African American Chuck Smith or Female American Leslie Haley would change the Republican narrative very quickly from MAWGS (Middle Aged White Guys) to MAWGS and More! We have no idea how MAGA will play out this year.
The Democrats have a real race for AG on their hands. Delegate Jay Jones posted strong fundraising numbers in his bid to take out incumbent AG Mark Herring while the GOP race, as noted above, could be the most demographically diverse group for the GOP ever. Okay, that’s not true - State Senator and 2013 AG nominee Mark Obenshain is a Presbyterian.
Today - I’ll be interviewing former Delegate Winsome Sears via Zoom Live on Facebook at 2pm. Tune in!
Here’s a provocative question I have been posing to Virginia business and political leaders lately:
If Virginia was a publicly traded stock, would you Buy, Hold, or Sell?
You would be amazed at how consistent the responses have been.
Here’s another provocative question:
Is the Virginia General Assembly really going to raise taxes during a pandemic election year in which Virginia is also ranked dead last for vaccine distribution?
Is #PoliticalMalpractice trademarked yet? Is #SuburbanSwingVotersSwing?
Now if UVA basketball player Sam Hauser was a stock, you would be buying. In his last three games, Hauser is 15 for 23 or 65%. A field goal percentage of 65% is pretty good, but when you realize that is what Hauser is shooting from three point range? BUY THAT STOCK. Hauser is hot.
