The Governor's race in Virginia could make waves on the national political world, especially if Democrat Tim Kaine defeats Republican Jerry Kilgore. At this point the race is too close to call according to polls, but, thanks to an eleventh hour visit by President Bush, the blame game is already well under way between the Bush Whitehouse and Kilgore. This according to the Washington Post:
If Kilgore does lose, Bush's troubles will be only part of the issue. The White House could argue privately that a Kilgore defeat had more to do with his own campaign mistakes, particularly going on the attack over the death penalty without first defining his own identity in a positive way, according to some familiar with the thinking in Bush circles.
Moreover, for the past three decades, Virginia has regularly elected governors from the party not controlling the White House. President Bill Clinton went to Old Town Alexandria on election eve in 1997 to help Democrat Donald S. Beyer Jr., only to see the candidate go down to defeat.
But Clinton was doing much better politically that year than Bush is this year, and so it did no damage to him. The Bush team is especially attuned to this year's Virginia race, particularly White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, who closely follows tracking polls and the latest developments there.
A Kilgore loss may convince some Republicans that Bush is more liability than asset. "If both these races go south, in New Jersey and Virginia," said a GOP consultant who spoke on the condition of anonymity to be candid, "that'll be a real signal to Capitol Hill and that's when the rats will really jump off the ship."
A Kilgore/Bush loss has the potential to send the GOP into further disarray heading into the mid-terms, so let's hope
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