No, We Will Not "Coalesce" Around Glenn Nye in 2012

2nd District (4.00 / 1)

I have to agree "just say no to Glenn Nye". Though a lot is going to really depend upon how redistricting goes. There is only so much more the GOP can get creative with things and I really hope that the Democratic Senate can hold the line and force some marginal districts instead of tossing us 3 ubber safe democratic districts and 8 districts that clearly lean Republican. We should have at least 2 districts that are evenly split with Democrats and Republicans in addition to 3 safe Democratic districts. If they can add more African American population into the 2nd than it would become a very even partisan district that we could win with a new challenger. One obstacle is that Rigell is going to be very well financed as he can stroke himself mega checks. Thelma Drake was not in this position and was also not a savy candidate. Riggel is a blank slate so we won't know how he'll do and what type of target he would provide but he won't ever be lacking in funds.

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by: Cool_Arrow @ Mon Nov 22, 2010 at 16:25:45 PM UTC

After he lost, when he no longer had the excuse of voting strategically, (4.00 / 1)

Nye went back to Washington and started off the lame duck session by voting against extending unemployment benefits. I don't see any way he wins a contested primary.

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by: Randy Klear @ Mon Nov 22, 2010 at 18:42:36 PM UTC

I think his logic is that (4.00 / 1)

We do have an open primary system so maybe he is hoping that Republicans will vote for him in the primary?  

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by: Cool_Arrow @ Mon Nov 22, 2010 at 19:45:53 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

They will vote for him in the primary (0.00 / 0)

but for Operation: Chaos reasons more than anything else.  

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by: Venu @ Mon Nov 22, 2010 at 23:04:48 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Whether they do or not (0.00 / 0)

(vote for Nye in the primary) might depend on whether or not they have a primary of their own, since you can only vote in one primary (you have to declare which ballot you want to see/vote on as you check in). If someone threw a really tempting monkey wrench into their primary, they might just be too busy fighting for their true choices, to be meddling (Operation Chaos) in ours.

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by: libra @ Tue Nov 23, 2010 at 02:42:20 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not interested (4.00 / 1)

I'm sure there are plenty of excellent DEMOCRATS who live in the 2nd.

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by: GretchenLaskas @ Mon Nov 22, 2010 at 20:25:18 PM UTC

Now is the time to find, recruit (draft if necessary), support a primary opponent. (4.00 / 1)

While everyone is recovering from the 2010 losses in Virginia, we need to get serious about finding and promoting an alternative for Nye in the 2nd CD.

I am counting on Susan and Kyle, who have together more than doubled the VBDC membership since Susan was elected chair to recruit a better candidate than Nye.

Now that Nye is no longer a sitting Dem. Congress critter, that should mean a clean slate for a potential candidate. With redistricting likely to shift some of Bobby Scott's precincts from the 3rd to the 2nd CD, it would seem logical that there should be someone who might be in a position to challenge the GOP by exciting the Dem. base, which Nye was never able to do for reasons stated here many times.

As in most districts, winning depends on two critical factors: The first and foremost IMHO is a candidate who can energize the base with a positive message he/she can deliver simply, clearly and consistently; and the second is an existing strong grassroots organization that knows how to deliver a powerful GOTV effort. The 2nd CD already has the 2nd element in the VBDC, which includes the local YD president who can help bring the young voters (back)into the mix. The only element still missing is the right candidate who can energize the base and bring out the independents and moderate republicans.

                        T.C.

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by: Tom @ Mon Nov 22, 2010 at 20:29:01 PM UTC

A Primary Opponent? (0.00 / 0)

You really are serious about promoting an alternative for Nye?

And your counting on "Susan" and "Kyle" to recruit a candidate better than Nye?  I assume you are referring to Susan Mariner, who was quite literally Glenn Nye's first  and is one of his strongest supporters?  And Kyle Blankenship who very likely did more campaigning for Glenn Nye than any 50 people on this blog did combined?  You want them to find a candidate in the 2nd?  BETTER than Nye?

I'm sold, Tom.  Outstanding.  I'll bank on that.  I'll run with that judgment.  Why not?  But I do have a question though.

How are you going to have a primary for the 2nd District when there's not even a single candidate?

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by: The Question @ Tue Nov 23, 2010 at 00:16:31 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Forget the 2nd (4.00 / 1)

We need to focus our energies to a fair redistricting of the 4th Congressional District

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by: vaambition @ Mon Nov 22, 2010 at 22:14:49 PM UTC

Forbes would be a tough opponent; (0.00 / 0)

Even when Obama carried our district 51%-49%, Forbes still was re-elected 60%-40%. Redistricting is only half the challenge; candidate recruitment is the other.  

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by: Venu @ Mon Nov 22, 2010 at 23:07:01 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Forbes doesn't look that strong to me (0.00 / 0)

I couldn't tell you a single thing he's ever done in his 10 years in Congress; he's blessed with a district that has no Dem bench (unless you consider Lionell Spruill and Bill Barlow a "bench") and which is spread across two media markets, which puts challengers a disadvantage. Winning 60% against a nobody isn't that impressive, nor is getting 62% against a weak opponent in a Republican wave election.  

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by: Johnny Longtorso @ Tue Nov 23, 2010 at 03:50:24 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

The 3rd (0.00 / 0)

Is basically designed to be a dump of as much as all of Richmond's and Hampton/Norfolk's African-Americans as possible. The GOP is going to try like hell to make sure that Petersburg is taken out of the 4th and into the 3rd. We have to hope that the Senate Democrats don't let that happen.

Ideally we should get a 2nd VRA district from the 4th given that African-Americans are 20% of the state's population and we have 11 seats. There should be 2 VRA districts in VA.

An evenly partisan map would dump Forbes and Rigell in the same district.  

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by: Cool_Arrow @ Tue Nov 23, 2010 at 03:06:57 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Looking for real Democrat in 2nd District (4.00 / 1)

Glenn Nye threw President Obama and his fellow Democrats under the bus, and now that he lost (and thus has nothing left to lose) he voted against extending unemployment insurance.  Politics is a numbers game, so even an awful Democrat like Nye counts towards a majority.  But it sure would be great if a real Democrat would run for the 2nd District nomination!

Del. David Englin

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by: englin @ Tue Nov 23, 2010 at 03:59:00 AM UTC

Couldn't have said it better David! (0.00 / 0)

While not everyone will be a lockstep died in the wool progressive at least showing some reason for people to vote for you besides the fact that "I count towards a Democratic number" is needed.

Just look at Tom Perriello. Reasonably identical districts and they were both freshmen members. Tom disagreed with the President but said things like I think Financial Reform wasn't tough enough. I think that Sumners and Geithner need to go. Stuff that people can relate to and he was able to trump differences with the President while not throwing anyone under the bus at the same time. Not differences like "their whole agenda is so bad that I voted no to everything".

Glad to live in your district BTW.

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by: Cool_Arrow @ Tue Nov 23, 2010 at 04:13:24 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Is that so...? (0.00 / 0)

Well... if it were only that easy... maybe you could run down there are pull it off?

I mean, it's not exactly Alexandria, but what the heck?  It can't really be that bad?  Can it?

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by: The Question @ Tue Nov 23, 2010 at 04:25:07 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

For the first time in my life I did not vote for the Dem - Mr. Nye (4.00 / 1)

(I previously have been a straight ticket Democrat. No more)

I live in Nye's district and was happy to vote for him to defeat Bush rubber stamper Thelma Drake.

Sad for me, he turned out to be one of those ill-informed Democrats who did not understand that if we had wanted a Republican, there was one right there on the ticket to vote for!

I came to the extremely hard decision that no, any Democrat IS NOT better than a Republican. I did not vote for Rigell, it's just that for the first time in my life, I did not vote FOR the Dem. I was one of those cranks who wrote in "Public Option" because I hoped that Nye would get the message that the reason I did not vote for him was he wasn't "Dem enough".

My hope is to have a Democrat who is proud of being a Democrat and who acts and votes like a Democrat to vote for next time around. If not, I will just continue to withhold my vote or look for a Third Party or write-in option.

(This is my first post on this site. I came here from DK after reading the diary today. I don't have a membership on Kos, I just read there. I am definitely someone who is old school Democrat - civil rights/liberties, working class agenda, real health care reform, etc. so I have no idea if Blue Virginia is a good place for me. I am willing to work to help to make Virginia bluer, but not if that just means Republican lite)

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by: Lotta Crabtree @ Tue Nov 23, 2010 at 14:12:49 PM UTC

This Is a Fine Place For You (0.00 / 0)

I spoke with a candidate for local office who is a Democrat night before last and she expressed the same trepidation over that vote you did. In the end, she punched the "Nye" box, but her hand "hovered there for a long time." There are 170,000 without health insurance in 2nd District; Nye was really looking after his constituency.

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by: Dan Sullivan @ Tue Nov 23, 2010 at 18:15:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Dan, are you interested in running for Congress ? (0.00 / 0)

n/t

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by: Tom @ Tue Nov 23, 2010 at 19:33:25 PM UTC