VA Special Election. DEM Wins 62-38% in Former Repub. District

[autorank]

Here's the best poll on the Bush Presidency. Well-to-do, previously Republican controlled District in Northern Virginia--DEMOCRAT WINS BY 62% - 38% -- aka, Dems kicked ass.

Here we go, they're getting their message. This was a Republican state senate seat. Guess that's changed. If we win like this in moderate to liberal Northern VA, what can they look forward to in House seats in CA, NY, PA, MI, FL.




Democrat wins special election to Senate
Richmond Times-Dispatch
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137833785738

Jan 31, 2006

Democrat Mark R. Herring overwhelmed Republican David. M. Mick Staton Jr. today to win a special election in a GOP-leaning Loudoun County and western Fairfax County Senate district. With 50 of 52 precincts reporting, the unofficial results in the 33rd District were: Herring, 12,379 votes, or 62 percent. Staton, 7,688, or 38 percent.

Herring succeeds former Republican state Sen. Bill Mims, who resigned the seat to become chief deputy to Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell. The contest was the last of four special elections held since Novembers general election to fill seats in the 2006 General Assembly.

Look for more about the election and General Assembly actions in tomorrow's Times-Dispatch.

[tanyev]

1. Sweet.

May it be only the beginning.

[autorank]

2. I live near this Senate district. A Republican won it in Nov. and then

retired. It switched that fast and there were lots of local Dems who gave, worked there. It's pay back time.

We're maybe 1-2 election cycles form taking control of the state leg again, lostin 1999.

But nationally, if these folks go in these nubmers for a Dem over a right winger, what's in store elsewhere.

;)

[Carla in Ca]

36. Good news, autorank!

My fingers are crossed that Pombo will be the next one to lose, but these state seats are important as well. We can't forget to take the country back on the local level. Congrats!

[OnionPatch]

41. Is he your rep?

My condolences. My husband told me he was put on some environmental list as the number one asshole to remove from office next time around.

[phylny]

37. That's my old district.

Good job, Dems!

[dobegrrrl]

3. FANTASTIC!

Loudoun has been pretty conservative. :toast:

[forintegrity]

4. Great news!!! Congrats!!!

[Inland]

5. There's no substitute for winning elections. Thanks. nt

[sam the dawg]

6. slow down

local and state election are often determined by the person (personally known)
rather than by the national party platform.
don't know what the deal was here but one can't count the eggs until the
hen lays them.

[autorank]

10. "slow down" Rejoice. I do know the situation. Real Dem vs. Real Con.

This was not high on personality, it was a rejection of the right win nut job rhetoric of the Republican Party. People in Northern Virginia have had enough of this crap. Loudoun County, fastest growing in the US and one of the wealthiest went strongly for the Dems in the 2005 general election, now this (the district is half Loudoun, half Fairfax County). Fairfax was 60-40% Democrat, the whole ticket, in 2005.

Huge shift. Not liberal enough for me but much, much better than the alternative.

So be happy, it's a real party show down.

[autorank]

14. Staton,(Rep), 35, a fiscal and social conservative ... guy we beat!

[Kurovski]

7. Great news! K&R

Providing fair and legal elections, ir will become a trend.

[IChing]

8. Can we not nominate a county I grew up in for change

Most work for the federal govt. or is supported by it.

[autorank]

12. Not so, most work for high tech companies. Some Feds and some

contractors for the Federal government. AOL is headquartered in Loudoun and a bunch of other high tech companies. UUNet in Fairfax County, Telenet. The internet(s);) started in Fairfax County (right after Al Gore gave birth to them, which he did in very real terms). So, hey, I love your name but where I live should be solid Republican, by income leve, etc. It isn't. It's solid Democratic

53% Kerry in 04
60% Kaine in 06
Maintained in Special Election.

Those are the facts.

[AndyTiedye]

17. Nothing Surprising About That

We engineering types have very little patience with political BS and even less with religious BS.
How could we be Republicans?

[autorank]

33. Right, when you figure it out there are no more questions...

...I always enjoy working with engineers and "math" people. Knowledge and analysis applied to the real world work in our favor.

[rockymountaindem]

9. To listen to some people here, you'd think we're never gonna win again

for anything, anywhere. Why? Well, lessee... our message doesn't connect, voters are dumb, moderates ruin everything and the machines will steal all our votes.

How does that square with the recent Democratic victories in Virginia?

[autorank]

21. Election integrity is a vital issue. Don't trivialize it. After all, I

posted this and I'm on election fraud like white on rice.

This proves that when you go out and use energy and resources in a special election, you have a shot. It also shows we have a much better message than the Republicans.

Election integrity is a big issue in Virginia. There are House and Senate bills for a real audit trail and verified paper ballots. They have Republican and Democratic support. They're there because there are huge questions here and elsewhere on free and fair elections.

Don't trivialize the election fraud issue unless you know what you're talking about. Using my report of a special election victory is not proof of anything other than a Democratic trend.

On edit: :)...and please don't haul out the strange argument that Democrats winning elections means there is no fraud. I've heard that one already. Thanks in advance. :)

[rockymountaindem]

26. You're right. I went overboard.

What I meant to express was my frustration with some people around here (not you) who use supposed election fraud as an excuse to sit around and not do anything to help our candidates. I think some people use it as a convienent cover for laziness.

[autorank]

28. No problem. A chance for dialog.

The election fraud/election integrity people around here and elsewhere are very hard working activists for both free and fair elections and their party, which is almost always the Democratic Party. We're making as much noise as we can to call attention this serious problem, which is ubiquitous. It's killed us in key areas and has the ability to preserve Republican power for years to come...if we're not aware of the issue. Anyone who uses this as an excuse should get up and work with us to shine a bright light on the Diebold's of the world so they don't dare fool around again.

Cheers. I'm always happy when we win one.

[Zhade]

27. Keep in mind...

...rejection of the repulican doesn't always equate to agreement with the dem.

[autorank]

29. This was a party choice election. The party balance has changed here.

Damn, this is a tough room;) It's real cause for celebration, at least for those of use here in VA. The Republicans took over the state legislature in 1999 and it's not been pleasant. Thank goodness we took the Governor races in 2001 and 2005, holding the barbarians at the gate.

[corporatemedia]

11. Loudoun County? That's T-Ricky Santorum's neighborhood !

Too bad he hasn't moved his voter registration to VA yet! HE MOVED EVERYTHING ELSE!

So at least the Repugs can console themselves knowing that they'll have one more voter in 2007 !


http://santorumcybergate.blogspot.com/

[autorank]

13. Little Ricky has some splaining to do. Republicans are on the run

here. Loudon is solid Dem now! Keep up the great work corporatemedia!

[autorank]

32. That's a great blog on Santorum! Ouch! Spanked him.

I'm glad he's sucking reich wing money away from VA because it will go for nothing. He's a loser in the next election, along with Swan.

A great political blog:
http://santorumcybergate.blogspot.com/

[fishwax]

15. excellent news

may it be a sign of things to come ...

[Wilms]

16. I'm glad the Dem won. but are you sure there wasn't any fraud.

Maybe he won 67% - 33% !! :evilgrin:

[autorank]

18. You demon you! None that I know of;)

:evilgrin:

[Virginian]

19. In the Fairfax part of the 33rd district, he did win with 67%.

The majority of the district is in Loudon, traditionally red. He took that part by a mere 60% and took the entire district by the percentage listed by AutoRank.

The previous occupant of the seat was Mimms(R) who quit to become the assistant Attorney General in the Commonwealth. There have only been 2 weeks for the candidates to campaign. People didn't have a chance to meet the candidates. IMHO, both were unknowns and a lot of people voted for the party instead of the man.

I haven't checked all of them, but one precinct went 85% for the Dem. The results are not official yet, so absentee or provisional ballots may slightly change the numbers, but this is a pretty good ballpark estimate on how the vote went.

http://sbe.vipnet.org/jan2006d/c_07_033.htm

There are 40 state senators. Yesterday 16 were Democrats, tomorow, 17.

[autorank]

30. I saw that 85% in an email. Amazing, I'm moving;)

But we went mid sixties for Kaine. But damn, 87%...a thing of beauty...thank a neighbor for me!

[bpj1962]

44. Election

I live in that District and I voted yesterday. I was not surprised that Herring won, I was surprised by the margin of victory. The next step is to try and and get a viable democratic candidate to run against Frank Wolf. He has been in office since 1981. The demographics of western Fairfax/Eastern Loudoun County have changed greatly in the past 5 years. Development is rampant and the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors which currently is 7-2 republican basically has let the builders get away with murder. I also think that this area is far more in touch with politics on a national level and I think the disgust with the current administration will affect many of the conservative republicans who will run this year.

[quiet.american]

20. W00T!

:bounce: :wow: :dem: :applause: :woohoo:

[Penndems]

22. Outstanding news! :)

My mother lives in Loudoun County, and she voted for Mark. She particularly liked his views on the land use issues.

[Rose Siding]

23. Al Gore: America is on the eve of a golden age

Let it be so.

snip>
I mentioned that along with cause for concern, there is reason for hope. As I stand here today, I am filled with optimism that America is on the eve of a golden age in which the vitality of our democracy will be re-established and will flourish more vibrantly than ever. Indeed I can feel it in this hall.

As Dr. King once said, "Perhaps a new spirit is rising among us. If it is, let us trace its movements and pray that our own inner being may be sensitive to its guidance, for we are deeply in need of a new way beyond the darkness that seems so close around us."

http://www.politicalgateway.com/news/read.html?id=5939

[autorank]

31. Those are OUR VALUES! They are transcendent!

Al Gore spoke for all Americans on January 16, 2006, a day to remember, a speech to spread among all freedom loving citizens.

[NJCher]

24. Yee haw!!

Cher

[Zhade]

25. That's awesome!

Look at the number of people eager to repudiate virtually all republicans!

[specimenfred1984]

34. Another Article, Linked to Herring's Site

http://www.leesburg2day.com/current.cfm?catid=31&newsid=11617

--- Voters Sweep Herring Into Senate Seat

Jan 31, 2006 -- Democrat Mark R. Herring won every Loudoun precinct in today's special election to fill the 33rd District Senate seat vacated by the resignation of Bill Mims.

***

Political observers watching the returns being tallied in the board of supervisors meeting room said the election was largely a referendum on growth. As a county supervisor from 1999 to 2003, Herring was an architect of planning and zoning changes aimed at curbing development in Loudoun. Staton was elected in 2003 as part of a six-member Republican majority that campaigned to reverse the growth restrictions, claiming that new developments would help provide better roads, schools and affordable housing. ---


That's good news for me, I live near Leesburg in northern Prince William County.

[autorank]

35. Prince William County, you folks are next in the Dem restoration.

We want some action out there. Now that Loudoun is falling in with the Dems, you're next.

No. Virginia is the new powerhouse in VA politics. As long as they could split our votes, we had to take a back seat. No more. Let's get a clean sweep up here. PW, come on down!

[freedomfries]

38. kick & recommended

[Laughing Mirror]

48. Eastern Prince William Co is solidly and in some precincts overwhelmingly

Democrat already. Witness past presidential elections. Makes you wonder when those hicks in Manassas still in charge will soon finally give up and decamp to their natural base, in counties further out from the real Northern VA.

[specimenfred1984]

49. PWC Needs Work, For Sure

http://sbe.vipnet.org/nov2005/153.htm

--- Summary Results - PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY

Kaine 49.95%
Kilgore 48.17% ---

There's a lot of work to do alright, talking to brainwashed people is usually a waste of time. The responses I've gotten are "I just like *'s direction" or worse, "God wants * in office".

I went to a MoveOn.org meeting a few months ago that was really close to my house; I was pleasantly surprised.

[autorank]

51. 1.78% margin will do nicely!

Absent Northern Virginia, Kaine would have won by about 10,000 votes so you're right in line with the rest of the state, in fact a 10k victory would have been less than 1%. The field staff Kaine brought in from outside (and they were awesome) felt it was going to be a 5000 vote victory overall. That's why they went nuts on GOTV. They dumped poll watching altogether, we had none in Fairfax. On election day, we had "drag & drive" in the precincts. Any one who would have poll watched was dispatched with others in the early a.m. to drive to marginal voter homes, knock on the door, leave a sample ballot and get them to vote. In my precinct, we hit 500 homes with this,a big chunk of voters. While this was happening, I went in and looked at the Republican's sitting there diligently poll watching. By the time their lists were turned over, it was noon. We already had people coming in from our "drag & drive."

I think your Democratic majority will increase as new homes are built;) Hug a builder today!

Glad MoveOn.Org is going out there. Keep the faith, PW is the next Loudoun!

[autorank]

52. LOL...a "plain speaker." I think you're right! n/t

[autorank]

58. A very positive word about Virginia Democrats

I had the pleasure of meeting a bunch of them in Northern Virginia during Kerry's campaign 2004 and even more during Kaine 2005. The Northern Virginia contingent, and those around Richmond who I met at the inauguration, are an outstanding group of people focused on winning and improving their state. There is an openness to a variety of views. As a serious election integrity advocate, I've never felt dismissed out of hand or a need to keep quiet. At the same time, there was not a lot of ideological debate because we were facing a formidable Republican machine backed to the hilt by Robertson-Falwell. We all knew what that meant if we failed. The Democrats worked hard, gave their all, and were highly focused on what really counted, stemming the tide, reversing it, and getting the best candidate elected. We've got four years of hard work and some challenges but this crew of Democrats knows how to bear down and make the point through hard work and some serious GOTV.

[Eurobabe]

39. Excellent! Hope this trend continues!!

[OnionPatch]

40. I guess the elections

aren't rigged in Virginia yet. But I bet they're trying.

[hatrack]

42. Very encouraging! Thanks, Autorank!

:toast:

[stepnw1f]

43. How Were the Votes Counted

What did they use for this election?

[autorank]

45. To our great shame, WINvote, AVS--touch screen. Totally unacceptable

and dreadful voting method. We want to change that all.

[Timefortruth]

53. If more Democrats win using these machines

we may see the much needed reform.

[autorank]

54. LOL ... we just need to really "see" our votes instead of "as reported by

AVS, etc." VA voting is actually pretty decent. There are adequate precincts, enough machines to acomodate the crowds. They don't expand and contract precincts, change them, etc. People in the inner cities don't get notices about "changes" in election day (etc.). But the damn machines.

WINvote touch screens went non linear in 2003 off year and the Republicans here were so upset the have become 'paper trail' advocates and they demand to see "source code."

But you're right, if we keep winning, we'll get real paper (with invisible ink for Dems;)

[stepnw1f]

56. I Agree... (nt)

[SaveElmer]

46. Thanks Mark Warner and Tim Kaine...

These victories in VA are coming along the trail they blazed...

[autorank]

57. I'll convey your best wishes;) n/t

[autorank]

47. Here's the force turning Virginia Blue--Rise of the Creative Class

Warner and Kaine and a smart Democratic Party have taken advantage of the core demographic for Democrats, the cities and working people PLUS the new "creative class." That refers to "knowledge workers" who actually use their minds in traditional and non traditional ways. There are lots of these folks out there. Virginia is just the first to show how powerful the trend is.

It's a huge change and one long necessary.

http://www.forbes.com/execpicks/prnewswire/feeds/prnewswire/2006/01/03/prnewswire200601031525PR_NEWS_B_NET_DC_DCTU025.html

"The contiguous jurisdictions of Fairfax and Arlington counties, plus the independent cities of Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax provided Kaine with 102,663 of his total 113,340 statewide margin of victory, or 94% of the entire margin. Kaine won the entire rest of the state by only 10,677 votes, and that margin was more than accounted for by the City of Richmond, alone, where he'd served as mayor. The same Northern Virginia jurisdictions brought the Democratic lieutenant governor and attorney general candidates within a hair's breadth of victory, statewide, as well.

"It was the overall shift in the demographic makeup of the Northern Virginia enclave over the last four years that was most responsible for Kaine's victory, and the prospect of turning Virginia 'blue' once and for all.

"The balance of political control in Virginia has shifted away from the lairs of two of the nation's most powerful institutions of the religious right -- Jerry Falwell's Lynchburg and Pat Robertson's Virginia Beach -- to a more tolerant, scientifically-minded and pragmatic bastion in Northern Virginia. This stunning defeat for the forces of Falwell and Robertson in their own state will also resonate nationally.

[redqueen]

50. Great news!

:kick:

[lovuian]

55. Whoo Hoo I need the good news here

:bounce:

[PVK]

59. Same thing happened recently in a red district in Minnesota.

Dems kicked butt.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

60. They must not have had Diebold voting machines.

[mvd]

61. Thanks for posting!

:bounce:

We need moderation in the South to have any chance of taking back the U.S. House and U.S. Senate this year.