Vintage Deeds
As part of the Loudoun Young Democrats’ series of events, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds made an appearance at Leesburg’s Vintage 50 this past week. He was the second of the three candidates to do so. In a race that was originally imagined as a competition between rural Virginia and the suburban areas to the north, Deeds did an admirable job showing that he understood the challenges facing our region. Deeds is a compelling candidate in his own right, one of those politicians coming from very modest origins whose success is due to their own ingenuity and drive.
Taking the time to speak to the crowd, Deeds made his pitch and explained why he was the right choice to face Republican Bob McDonnell in the fall. On paper, he might not be the right choice, having lost to McDonnell for attorney general four years ago. However, Deeds approached this issue as a positive. Unlike the other candidates, Deeds made an articulate, reasoned argument why McDonnell was a bad choice for Virginia and he was the right one. There is something to be said for a candidate that knows how his opponent operates. Having lost to McDonnell before, he is also hungry for the chance to face him again.
On a side note, I also had an opportunity to chat with Jon Bowerbank—one of the candidates for Lieutenant Governor. Very little attention has been paid to the Democratic race for Lieutenant Governor—largely because there are so many candidates running. I can say that Bowerbank, another southern Virginia politician, impressed me by the amount of time he has taken to woo northern Virginia voters. He’s currently renting a room up here, due to the time he’s spending in the area and the distance from his home in Russell County.
An Auspicious Beginning
It was standing room only at the kickoff for Tag Greason’s campaign for the House of Delegates. Over two hundred supporters arrived at Lansdowne’s The Dock to show their support. In attendance was virtually every Republican public official in the county—with the notable exception of those members of the Board of Supervisors, tied up at that time with another budget work session.
In a race where both parties want the majority in the House of Delegates, candidates like Greason may hold the key for the Republicans maintaining control. The importance of this race was demonstrated by the keynote speakers—U. S. Rep. Frank Wolf and House Majority Leader Bill Howell. It’s been a rough few years for Loudoun Republicans, and there was a real sense that Greason was being anointed as the party’s best chance to get back on track in Loudoun.
The tone of the event was heartening if it does foreshadow the tone of the campaign. Greason focused on “kitchen table” issues at the kickoff, particularly transportation and distance pricing on the Dulles Greenway. The rhetoric focused on the issues instead of the opposition—a welcome change from last fall’s campaign, which turned a bit too personal.
Lest you think I’m taking sides, I also spoke with Delegate David Poisson about the results of this session of the General Assembly. He’s aware of the strength of the opposition and it seems unlikely that the Democrats will be letting any of the Delegate challenges go unanswered. Even so, the 32nd district will be one of the races to watch—with two strong candidates, it might serve as a political bellwether for where this region is politically–either red, blue or purple.
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