Democrats tar Ed Gillespie as Obenshain clone, but is that good idea?

Virginia Democrats highlighted a comment from Harrisonburg State Sen. Mark Obenshain on Wednesday in which the 2013 Republican attorney general nominee said he and Ed Gillespie, a candidate for the GOP Senate nomination in 2014, share the same values, in an effort to tie Gillespie to a failed statewide candidate.

But is this the best idea, given that Obenshain lost to Democrat Mark Herring by a razor-thin 800-vote margin that went to a December recount before the race could be called with certainty?

“Mark Obenshain himself emphatically announced that he and Ed Gillespie are one and the same,” said Democratic Party of Virginia Spokesperson Ashley Bauman. “Unfortunately for Ed, Virginians rejected this extreme view that restricts women’s rights, refuses to protect minority communities, and continues the GOP-led gridlock in Richmond and Washington.

“These views are out of step with mainstream Virginians. Ed Gillespie’s hollow claims about attracting new voters to the GOP will fall on deaf ears with policies like these,” Bauman said.

Memo to Virginia Democrats: last year’s statewide elections were way, way too close to crow too much about. Language about Republicans being out of step with mainstream Virginians doesn’t ring too loud considering the close margins. This kind of talk can actually make you look to be more out of touch with the msinstream than anything else. That is all.

– Column by Chris Graham