InDepth | What happened to Blue Virginia?

Chris Graham

Remember when Virginia was trending Democratic? Like, as recently as late spring, when Creigh Deeds surged to the Democratic Party gubernatorial nomination, and had the lead in the early post-primary polls, and Virginia Democrats not only seemed headed for another return trip to the Governor’s Mansion, but had a good shot at winning back a…

GOP three sweep state races

Chris Graham

The last pre-election polls had the Republican ticket of Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli winning by 11-14 points. Bad news for Virginia Democrats – it was worse than expected. McDonnell bested Democrat Creigh Deeds in the marquee race for governor Tuesday, piling up over 1 million votes en route to garnering just shy…

Daily Rant | The Economy, Stupid

Chris Graham

That approach, inspired by Bill Clinton in the 1990s, served Virginia Democrats well most of the current decade (see Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, Jim Webb). Then they decided to scrap the blueprint of success in favor of the rudderless mess that has marked the ’09 campaign. Live and learn, says AFP editor Chris Graham. AFP…

VPT InDepth | Road worriers

Chris Graham

You’re Pierce Homer, the Secretary of Transportation in Virginia. For five years, you’ve been overseeing reforms at the Virginia Department of Transportation that have six in seven projects completed on time and on budget, nearly three times the rate of efficiency that we saw out of VDOT from the Allen and Gilmore administrations. You’ve seen…

The Pulse | Did you read that endorsement of Landes?

Chris Graham

It wasn’t the most ringing of endorsements, to say the least. “The preternaturally bland Steve Landes views his political career as that of a slogger trudging through legislative thickets whittling away tax and regulatory weeds. Accountants and morticians are peppier,” began the recommendation of the editorial board of the News Virginian in the 25th District…

AFP InDepth | A ‘strategic quiet’ on the LGBT front

Chris Graham

You don’t need to go as far as gay marriage. A candidate can win the support of the LGBT community by advocating legislation that would allow employees to include gay and lesbian partners in group life-insurance policies. Indeed, it doesn’t take much to break through what Jay Fisette, the Arlington County Board of Supervisors member…

Deeds gets endorsement of Washington Post

Chris Graham

A Washington Post endorsement reversed Creigh Deeds’ fortunes in the ’09 Democratic Party primary. Can Deeds get another boost from another Post endorsement? “If the current campaign for governor has clarified anything, it is that state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, the Democratic nominee, has the good sense and political courage to maintain the forward-looking policies…