What Last Night Really Means

As President Obama would say, "let me be clear," last nights race was really nothing more than a referendum on the atrocious candidate that was Ken Cuccinelli.  The only party which should be scratching its collective heads are the Democrats, because considering how horribly the Cuccinelli campaign was run winning by only two points is quite disastrous.  Let us for first begin where Cuccinelli's problems began.

The beginning of the end for Republican's gubernatorial hopes was on June 15, 2012 when the Republican Central Committee in Virginia voted to reverse their decision made the previous fall to have a primary to decide the Republican gubernatorial nominee and instead have a day long convention.  Since Cuccinelli had a more fervent base and thus more supporters who would come to the convention this decision essentially ended the prospect of a Bolling candidacy for governor.  The effect this decision had on the unity of the Virginia Republican party cannot be underestimated.  Politics is a blood sport and a personal one at that, this decision single handily turned the state party against itself.  Republicans who never in a million years would have supported a Democrat jumped ship and did just that, because of their hurt feelings.  I know people in the Tea Party and conservatives will whine to me that this was a betrayal, but if you came to that conclusion you do not understand politics and its highly personal nature.  Cuccinelli did not understand the concept of personal politics either.

The sole blame for this monstrous failure should be placed squarely upon the shoulders of Cuccinelli he was the leader of this campaign and the campaign was one of the worst in recent memory.  I dare to say, actually just kidding I do not dare to say, I exclaim this campaign was worst than the Romney campaign by a light year.  It was not even close how awfully run this campaign was; Cuccinelli's campaign will be used as a case study of what not to do in future elections.  

All of you mopey Tea Partiers (I yes I consider myself part of the Tea Party, just not mopey) out there today please stop blaming the establishment.  This campaign was not lost due to a lack of money or support from the establishment .  This campaign was lost due to a lack of competent campaigning.  Lets be honest for one moment and admit to ourselves that Cuccinelli did not find a singular campaign issue to focus on until the weekend before the election.  Cuccinelli had over two weeks since the end of the government shutdown to capitalize on the epic failure that is Obamacare.  This bozo (and yes I have to call him that) did not find this gem until 72 hours before the election.  You have to be kidding me!  The golden goose (that never seems to stop laying eggs) that is Obamacare is the only reason this campaign was so close in the end and Cuccinelli lacked the political acumen to realize this obvious campaign strategy until the last minute.  Tea Partiers and conservatives out there stop blaming the bogeyman of the Republican establishment and look inwards towards the candidate that we supported.  This was not a failure of rest of the Republican Party to follow, but of part of the Republican Party to understand the other part.  This is especially true since the part of the state party that felt left out (the Bolling wing) were not by any standards moderates.  So please before you begin screaming at me consider that fact for a moment.

As for more analysis I think that Tim Carney sums up best why Terry McAwful (thank you Chris Plant) proved victorious last night.

P.S. - I felt I had to put this last and in a special place because I think it shows just how bad a candidate Cuccinelli was:

Virginia House of Delegates Before November 5, 2013
67(R) 32(D) 1(I)

Virginia House of Delegates after November 5, 2013
67(R) 33(D)

Simply put this was a disastrous result for Democrats who were hoping to overcome the Republicans veto proof majority which helps to neuter Terry McAwful's power as governor.  The Democrats were hoping to pick up seats and they failed.  I think this shows this election was not a referendum of Virginian Republicans, but as I have been saying a referendum on the rank amateurism of Ken Cuccinelli's campaign.

Guest posted by http://www.theenlightenedrepublican.com/