Virginia Governor: A Favorite Emerges

[brooklynite]

Larry Sabato:

As the calendar turns to September, the nation’s marquee race in 2013 is coming into focus: Terry McAuliffe (D) now has an edge over Ken Cuccinelli (R) in the Virginia gubernatorial race, and we’re changing our rating in the contest from toss-up to LEANS DEMOCRATIC.

The decision is based on several factors, all of which seem to suggest that the former Democratic National Committee chairman is leading the state attorney general.

McAuliffe has managed to make the prospect of a Governor Cuccinelli seem scary, while Cuccinelli has “only” succeeded in making McAuliffe look like a run-of-the-mill, self-interested wealthy political hack. In this wholly negative race, that sad distinction matters.

What’s kept Cuccinelli from painting McAuliffe in even less favorable colors? The Bob McDonnell scandal (to which Cuccinelli is connected by the GOP party label and gifts from the same supplicant), his substantially lesser fundraising, E.W. Jackson’s nomination for lieutenant governor, and the defection of a sizable number of moderate Republicans led by the lieutenant governor he left as road kill, Bill Bolling.

[EC]

1. They should keep up with

the cooch hates oral sex meme.

[FSogol]

2. I actually saw 2 EW Jackson signs in 2 front yards in Fairfax City this morning.

It is pretty funny that Cuccinelli won't put his name on the signs with his nutty running mate. Perhaps Federal Nuttiness standards would be exceeded if both names appeared.

Regardless of whether McAuliffe is ahead or not, GOTV VA.