"Democratic Party of Virginia Doing Great" ugh??

A blog I like to read frequently is Raising Kaine. Today Raising Kaine published a blog stating that the Democratic Party of Virginia was doing a "Great" job these days across the State.

I am sorry but I do not share that level of enthusiasm. I realize that the Republican Party just lost 2 moderate incumbants within primaries of their own Party to what the blogs identify as "more conservative" candidates of the right wing of the Republican Party, one even seeking to eliminate government from public education. While I am very concerned with the direction of the Republican Party these days, I think it has more to do with the fact that the serving Republicans are failing to abide by its own Republican creed. The biggest arguement for the downfall of the "moderates" has been that they have supported additional taxes and the backlash against them was well deserved because they were not acting like Republicans. The implication is if they are not acting like Republicans they must be acting like Democrats.

How about all of you act like Virginians for a change?

With the defeat of two moderates, blogs appear to be claiming a victory with the rationale that people will be less likely to vote for ultra-conservative candidates in the Fall over Democrat options. And this is where I fail to see exactly how the DPV is going "great".

You see there are too many examples across the State where the Democrats are not even a voice nor even try to be. Its not that there are no Democrats in these localities, its simply that there is no one engaging in the debate. Sound surprising?

One: Take my little part of the world. Chesterfield managed to bring what amounts to three total Democrats to the debate for Board of Supervisors. Two in Matoaca squared off with Bill Hastings prevailing. Ree Hart will run to represent Bermuda. And Holland will face Miller.Thats it. IN THE 4TH LARGEST AREA IN THE STATE....four people sought to engage in the debate for Supervisor. There are 5 seats of the Board. There are numerous Independents and one former Democratic nominee in Dan gecker now running as an (I) in Midlothian.
* this begs another question. Why are there so many Independents all of a sudden on ballots in Chesterfield. I will leave that the the CCDC and the CCRC to determine. Is there a movement growing or simply a dissatisfaction with status quo?

Two: Take the 68th House of Delegate race. Zero Democrats primaried for a shot to run against Manoli Loupassi (R) and Katherine Waddell (I). Thats right....zero. I do not want to get into whether the (D) see Waddell as one of their own or not because to me thats a cop out. The fear that if they get involved a three way race will cause the (R) to win...ya ya ya ya.

Three: 7th Congressional: while the Democrats did run a candidate against Eric Cantor (R) last year, exactly what did the DPV do to help the guy in a Congressional race. In a year where Democrats were picking seats off in the national forum, even one Senate spot with Jim Webb here in Virginia, they did very little to aid in the campaign efforts in the 7th.

My point is simply, and I responded on the RK blog, is before people start praising the DPV for doing a "great" job, we need to take the time to consider and understand the big picture, ie the future. You cannot be doing a great job when races all over are going uncontested. I am tired of both sides only fighting where there is some perceived chance of victory. It is this ideology and the mass media for that matter that allow areas constantly to be portrayed as "red and "blue" as if that is descriptive of the entire population.

Ask yourself, does being a Republican or Democrat incapsilate exactly who you are? For me, it does not. The blogosphere seems to think that the lose of two moderates is a course to celebrate, but I rather tend to believe that it means that MORE gridlock is at our door. You see, the moderates on both sides are what make up the center in the General Assembly. Remove that and you have the extremes trying to get the "peoples" business done. Good luck.

Again, this not an attack on the DPV or CCDC, but simply an observation that things are not "Great" as RK proclaimed.

**Added June 15, 2007 by J. Scott

My original post of RK as spurred some debate. I want to again make the point that I am addressing what is the "perception" and there are many blogs addressing that. I want to point out that I do not beleive that one has to be a member of a local committee to be "involved" in the debate. We all have the power to influence others outside of that rhelm. Countless people have blogged to me about their issue with such committees. We should address that. Why are people leaving the debate. Why are Democrats/Republicans becoming Independents?
Both sides need to undertake some self-reflection on their own houses sorta speak and start asking the hard questions.
If only 8 to 12% of the voting population are going to cast a vote in the first place, no one can afford the have former candidates or supporters for that matter leave the debate.