PERSPECTIVE: Don’t rush to conclusions just yet on Obama’s fate

The Democrats received a firm trouncing Tuesday night.

Republicans Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli whipped their opponents decisively in the state’s three biggest races. GOP gains were made in the House of Delegates as well.

What to say about all this Democrat bashing at the polling place? Well, it seems obvious that Virginia voters have decided to go a little more conservative.

But many are trying to use the Virginia races, particularly for governor, as illustrative of a trend against President Barack Obama. We think drawing that correlation is a bit hasty.

Yes, Virginia went for Obama last year and then elected a Republican governor this year. And yes, we have had a Democratic governor for the last eight years; so this vote, on the surface, would appear to be a manifestation of the saying, “Throw the bums out!”

However, Virginia leanings have often differed when it comes to presidential races versus state races. Until last year, support for Republican presidential candidates had continued unabated for decades.

Yet, in that time, Virginia did not back away from electing governors of both political persuasions.

What that shows is something of a disconnect between Virginian’s political thinking at the national and state levels.

One explanation is that Virginians make their choices for the state pragmatically, based on more local issues. Otherwise, it would have made sense for Virginians to be electing solely Republicans to the governor’s mansion for decades, just as they had been choosing the GOP for the White House.

If Virginians were voting pragmatically in the state, then they would less likely be guided by ideology and more willing to choose a Democrat or Republican, provided the candidate had an answer to the state’s woes.

As far as Obama’s fate is concerned, we doubt that Tuesday’s election has much to say. Now, next year’s midterm elections . . . those might be a different story.

News & Messenger,
Prince William County