Are We Witnessing A Republican Implosion?

October 29, 2001 8:32 AM

Are We Witnessing A Republican Implosion? The Los Angeles Times has three GOP contenders for governor violating Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment by attacking fellow Republicans. In traditionally Republican Virginia, the Washington Post says a Democrat is well on his way to becoming governor next week. In New Hampshire, Roll Call describes what is to be a very bitter primary against an incumbent GOP senator. And finally, the Robert Novak says the GOP is abandoning its candidate for governor in New Jersey. (More Republican News via Political Wire.)
posted by flip (12 comments total)

Virginia is not traditionally Republican, and we've discussed these other races recently.
posted by ljromanoff at 8:59 AM on October 29, 2001

Virginia is not traditionally Republican. It is traditionally conservative, with small "c", and Democratic, which is not necessarily the contradiction many seem to think. The recent string of Republican governors and Republican advances in the Virginia state legislature (the oldest operating democratically elected body in the nation) are anomalous from a longer perspective.

Historically, Virginia is Democratic, pro-tobacco, pro-gun rights, fiscally conservative (in the uncorrupted sense, meaning slow to embrace change, not prone to fads and unlikely to go on irresponsible sprees of either spending tax rate experimentation), pro-education (with several of the finest schools in the nation being found there, including two of the finest "public ivy" schools, UVa ("Mr. Jefferson's School") and William and Mary (the second oldest institute of higher learning in the nation)), and it is mindful of its natural resources.

It's an interesting mix.

The current Democratic candidate for governor, Mark Warner, received a passing grade from the NRA, which has earned a rep as wing if the Republican party. The NRA endorsed neither major party candidate, which is considered a win for the Democrats despite the fact that the NRA has stated a degree of preferrence for the Republican candidate, even as it withheld its endorsement.
posted by NortonDC at 9:11 AM on October 29, 2001

"Are we witnessing a Republican implosion?" ...
From your lips to god's ears.... I hope so!
posted by aacheson at 9:15 AM on October 29, 2001

From your lips to god's ears

Hey, let's keep church and state separate here...
posted by MrBaliHai at 9:26 AM on October 29, 2001

Not a Republican implosion, that's too strong. The real surprise is, we are not witnessing any real bounce from Bush's popularity, and the activation of millitary forces, which one would tend to believe would help Republicans. Despite the willingness of many Republican candidates (Shundler and Bloomberg to name two) to use images of Bush and the firefighters at the World Trade Center in paid political ads.

As a NJ person who is active on the ground, I'll tell you this. Every local Democratic candidate in New Jersey from Town Council to Mayor to State Senate is using McGreevy's name. Meanwhile, most local Republicans are not using Bret Shundler in any ads, although many Democrats are doing that for them.


And despite what's being said up there about Virginia being so Democratic, YES, it is amazing and yes it is significant that a Democrat is going to win a state that has been pretty solid Republican since 1994. While there are some remaining old Democrats in Virginia, Warner's base is clearly Northern Virginia, which is more Democratic, and is also growing.
posted by brucec at 9:42 AM on October 29, 2001

Mmmmmmm....sweet, sweet Republican Implosion™....now with 100% of your recommended daily intake of political bliss

*drools*
posted by thewittyname at 9:48 AM on October 29, 2001

I may be tipping my hand here, but I'd personally rather witness a Republican flogging.
posted by Hildago at 9:52 AM on October 29, 2001

I believe the 11th commandment had alot more to do with officeholders than it did with candidates. Reagan was rather ruthless to any republican foolish enough to challenge him.
posted by revbrian at 10:03 AM on October 29, 2001

Historically, Virginia ... fiscally conservative (in the uncorrupted sense, meaning slow to embrace change, not prone to fads and unlikely to go on irresponsible sprees of either spending tax rate experimentation),

Interesting...thus I take it that Gilmore's idea to get rid of the car tax WITHOUT necessarily identifying a permanent source of alternative funding was not irresponsible.

pro-education

Thus all that stuff after Brown v. Board of Education with shutting down schools in some areas for as long as 2 years to prevent integration - that was just an aberration?

and it is mindful of its natural resources

Seems to me that Maryland is doing MUCH more than Virginia to preserve farmland, to attempt to keep urban sprawl around defined corridors, and protect Chesapeake Bay.

Guess I live in a different DC-area reality.
posted by PeteyStock at 10:21 AM on October 29, 2001

I take it that Gilmore's idea to get rid of the car tax WITHOUT necessarily identifying a permanent source of alternative funding was not irresponsible.

Gilmore is part of the Republican aberration.

Thus all that stuff after Brown v. Board of Education with shutting down schools in some areas for as long as 2 years to prevent integration - that was just an aberration?

That is a part of downside of being slow to embrace change. For a community that believes integration is detrimental to education, it is pro-education to take strong measures to stop it. Fortunately for everyone, that effort failed and white Virginia was forced to change faster than it may have wanted to.

Seems to me that Maryland is doing MUCH more than Virginia to preserve farmland, to attempt to keep urban sprawl around defined corridors, and protect Chesapeake Bay.

There are two relevant points here. First, that Virginia is still under (the anamalous) Republican control. Second, technically, the Chesapeake isn't its resource. Maryland owns to the low tide line on the Virginia side due to colonial era treaties.
posted by NortonDC at 11:32 AM on October 29, 2001

Actually, I think over the long term we're seeing an implosion of both parties. Neither party actually represents the views of the public. While one can praise the Democrats for being pro-education, when you look at the books and see that only 17 cents of every federal dollar spent on education makes it to the classroom level, it gets kind of hard to support candidates who feel the best solution is to funnel more money into a bottemless pit. Same with the Republicans. Out of one side of their mouth they preach smaller government but just so long as the local governments want what they want.
posted by billman at 3:56 PM on October 29, 2001

Are We Witnessing A Republican Implosion?

Three races does not an "implosion" make.

Call me when the Dems take back the House.
posted by mikewas at 8:07 PM on October 29, 2001