Wise words from the current Governor of Virginia Tim Kaine:

Kaine said the key to victory for Democrats in a highly competitive Virginia is recognizing that party members need not be “apologetic” about their affiliation to find success. He noted that about 200,000 more people voted in the Democratic primary for president on a frigid February day in 2008 than cast ballots for Deeds this year, and said McDonnell successfully spooked Deeds by suggesting that Virginians had grown anxious about the Democratic agenda.

“I think the issue of being nervous about the Virginia electorate was overdone and I think Creigh did exactly what the McDonnell campaign hoped he would do, which was distance himself from the president and national issues,” Kaine said.

We could not agree with Governor Kaine more.  The gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey a couple of weeks ago was a lesson to Democrats who take their base for granted.  This year’s gubernatorial races boasted the lowest turnout in modern government races.  Virginia turnout was less than half the percentage of the 2008 election and the lowest in forty years in the Commonwealth.  As for turnout of specific groups, Governor Kaine pulled 38 percent African-American turnout whereas Deeds only managed 27 percent.

Here are the stats from the Deeds vs. McDonnell contest: 

• Conservative turnout increased from 11 percent in 2008 to 21 percent in 2009
• Young adults turnout dropped from 20 percent in 2008 to 10 percent in 2009
• African-American turnout went from 20 percent in 2008 to 15 percent in 2009
• 3.7 million people turned out for the 2008 election as compared to 1.97 million turnout for 2009
• President Obama received 2 million votes to McCain’s 1.7 million in 2008.  Deeds only received .8 million votes total or 1.2 million votes less than Obama in 2008.  Deeds lost by 345,000 votes. 
• The Obama’s winning coalition in Virginia consisted of 40 percent African-American votes, 59 percent Caucasian votes and .5 percent Hispanic vote

Looking at the above statistics one would think that because Obama’s winning coalition relied heavily on the African-American vote that this would be a group high on the Deeds campaign’s priority list.  However, when we approached the Deeds campaign a few weeks prior to the election to inquire about its African-American outreach we heard crickets.  The Deeds campaign did not have any sort of task force in place to help galvanize the minority community.  As a result, black folks along with other Democrats stayed home. Never take a Democratic base for granted or you will be disappointed.

At least 45 percent of the Virginia electorate turned out for the 2005 gubernatorial race whereas only 40 percent turned out in 2009.  Deeds did not persuade Democrats that he deserved their vote and voting for him would be much better than not voting or allowing McDonnell to win.  Instead Deeds presented himself as a less capable version of Bob McDonnell.  Why vote for a fake Republican when you can have the real thing and a person to blame with impunity when it all goes wrong.  

Mr. Deeds also billed himself  a “Creigh Deeds Democrat” as opposed to an “Obama Democrat.”  The former candidate perpetuated this view with Virginia Democrats by distancing himself from Obama whenever possible.  One major rejection of the President’s policy agenda was when Deeds said that as Governor of Virginia he would opt out of the health care reform bill if given the opportunity.  One quick lesson to all Democrats and first stated by a freshman Congressman from Florida: You do not beat Republicans by becoming one.  And you certainly do not motivate the Democratic base or folks that voted the President into office a year prior by rejecting that same president’s policy agenda.  Are you listening Congressman Nye, Blue Dogs, and Conservadems?  Reject the policy agenda of the Democrats in favor of the special interest and there is a high probability that you will be looking for a new line of work come November 2010.

Remember fellow Democrats that if you water down this health care reform bill so that it is “reform” in name only or kill it via the Stupak (abortion) amendment you are jeopardizing your seat in Congress.  The same goes for financial reform.  President Obama said it correctly in New York when he said that Democrats “are an opinionated bunch.”   While the other side tends to do what they’re told, Democrats think for themselves.  Therefore, just because President Obama, as the head of the Democratic party, must campaign for you, free-thinkin Democrats will not vote for you if your words and deeds do not inspire us to do so.  We don’t show up just because you have a “D” next to your name.  Ask Mr. Deeds.