Divided Ds, motivated Rs, and other ’09 trends

Chris Graham

The formal entree of former Democratic National Committee chair Terry McAuliffe into the 2009 governor’s race on Monday means all the players are present and accounted for now. McAuliffe, who filed papers today to run for governor, but is officially still only exploring a possible run, will compete for the Democratic nomination with Northern Virginia…

Yes, We Can!

Chris Graham

Column by Chris Graham “If I forget everything else when I get old and gray,” a friend told me Tuesday night, “I hope I never forget this feeling.” I understood completely what he was saying, because I had just had a similar thought myself. CNN and Fox News had just called the presidential race in…

White House: Obama will turn Virginia blue

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] He started his general-election campaign here in June after sewing up the Democratic Party nomination, and he’s going to end it here late Monday night. Still want to quibble over how seriously Barack Obama is taking Virginia? “What better way is there to showcase the importance of this state as…

U.S. Senate: The radical centrist will shake things up in D.C.

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] I was working for an ultraconservative newspaper based in Charlottesville – not exactly the best place for somebody who would later become the chair of a Democratic Party committee to be, but it paid the bills. It also gave me a different perspective on Mark Warner, at first a skeptical…

Valley Blue Dog: Republican Tricks, Democratic Treats!

Steven Sisson

Column by Steven Sisson Halloween is a time for dressing up in a costume and wearing a mask and having fun. But grownups wear masks, too, especially politicians, and more than ever Republicans are masking the truth behind their agenda. According to nationwide polls, 70 percent of leaders can’t be trusted. The Blue Dog says…

Sixth District: It’s time for new blood in Congress

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Sam Rasoul forced the Sixth District Democratic Party to live up to its name. It had been 10 years since the party had even tried to challenge Republican Congressman Bob Goodlatte in the Sixth, after his 40-point win over then-Roanoke mayor David Bowers in a race that had seemed at…

Harrisonburg: Obama rallies Valley Dems

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] One news organization estimated that there were 28,000 people all told in and around the Convocation Center on the campus of James Madison University for the Tuesday campaign rally featuring Democratic Party presidential nominee Barack Obama. I don’t know that I could dispute the figure, based on the queue, or…