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Can a career tactician navigate Trump and a GOP civil war and win Virginia?
Just in case you're undecided, here's the article about Ed Gillespie that is a counterpart to yesterday's article about Ralph Northam.
Virginia Politics
Can a career tactician navigate Trump and a GOP civil war and win Virginia?
By Paul Schwartzman October 25 at 7:02 PM
DANVILLE, Va. — Ed Gillespie, Virginia’s Republican candidate for governor, was an hour into a campaign pitch that conservatives lap up — cutting taxes, promoting small business, opposing unions — when a hand went up a few rows back.
“What’s your opinion of Robert E. Lee?” asked Tony Lundy, 57, a welder who volunteered that he thinks the Confederate general was “honorable.” ... “I appreciate your point — this is a conversation I think we need to have,” Gillespie replied, his tone as soothing as a therapist’s. But he added that he would not have that conversation then “because we’ve kept folks here for a very long time.”
Moments later, after pledging to be “an honest, ethical, hard-working, principled, faithful servant leader worthy of Virginia,” Gillespie was out the door.
Over four decades in national politics, Gillespie rose to the highest ranks of Washington’s ruling class, chairing the Republican National Committee, counseling President George W. Bush and earning millions lobbying for corporate clients seeking entree to his rarefied Rolodex. ... Yet as he seeks to succeed Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Gillespie is at the center of a civil war that is dividing his party, one pitting the Republican establishment he personifies with his four-star credentials against the anti-Washington forces that propelled President Trump’s rise.
....
This is the second in a two-part examination of the candidates vying to become Virginia’s next governor. The first part, about Democrat Ralph Northam, appeared Wednesday.
Paul Schwartzman specializes in political profiles and narratives about life, death and everything in between. Follow @paulschwartzman
Can a career tactician navigate Trump and a GOP civil war and win Virginia?
By Paul Schwartzman October 25 at 7:02 PM
DANVILLE, Va. — Ed Gillespie, Virginia’s Republican candidate for governor, was an hour into a campaign pitch that conservatives lap up — cutting taxes, promoting small business, opposing unions — when a hand went up a few rows back.
“What’s your opinion of Robert E. Lee?” asked Tony Lundy, 57, a welder who volunteered that he thinks the Confederate general was “honorable.” ... “I appreciate your point — this is a conversation I think we need to have,” Gillespie replied, his tone as soothing as a therapist’s. But he added that he would not have that conversation then “because we’ve kept folks here for a very long time.”
Moments later, after pledging to be “an honest, ethical, hard-working, principled, faithful servant leader worthy of Virginia,” Gillespie was out the door.
Over four decades in national politics, Gillespie rose to the highest ranks of Washington’s ruling class, chairing the Republican National Committee, counseling President George W. Bush and earning millions lobbying for corporate clients seeking entree to his rarefied Rolodex. ... Yet as he seeks to succeed Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Gillespie is at the center of a civil war that is dividing his party, one pitting the Republican establishment he personifies with his four-star credentials against the anti-Washington forces that propelled President Trump’s rise.
....
This is the second in a two-part examination of the candidates vying to become Virginia’s next governor. The first part, about Democrat Ralph Northam, appeared Wednesday.
Paul Schwartzman specializes in political profiles and narratives about life, death and everything in between. Follow @paulschwartzman
Two comments:
Clarence Gorlito
8:50 AM EDT
Why did the writer fail to tell readers that Ed Gillespie the Republicant is up in the most recent poll? More false news or adulterated news from alt lefty Wapo. When Ed wins who will dems blame for his win? Russians or New Zealander interference in our gubernatorial elections?
8:50 AM EDT
Why did the writer fail to tell readers that Ed Gillespie the Republicant is up in the most recent poll? More false news or adulterated news from alt lefty Wapo. When Ed wins who will dems blame for his win? Russians or New Zealander interference in our gubernatorial elections?
FulhamDC
9:02 AM EDT
The Hampton University poll? Here's an entire article on why it's not a very good poll - the 27% undecided in it is so far and away from any other poll done that it can't really be taken seriously without at least one other poll showing a similar result.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/10/25/please-read-this-before-you-freak-out-about-that-new-poll-in-the-virginia-governors-race/
9:02 AM EDT
The Hampton University poll? Here's an entire article on why it's not a very good poll - the 27% undecided in it is so far and away from any other poll done that it can't really be taken seriously without at least one other poll showing a similar result.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/10/25/please-read-this-before-you-freak-out-about-that-new-poll-in-the-virginia-governors-race/
Coming right up....