In a recent PPP poll Ken Cuccinelli is far ahead of other Republicans as the first choice among Republican primary voters for Governor in 2017, 37% chose Ken Cuccinelli as their first choice, 16% picked Eric Cantor, 8% each for Bill Bolling and Ed Gillespie, 7% for Mark Obenshain, and 1% for Pete Snyder. [read_more]
Cuccinelli also has the highest favorability ratings, 52% of primary voters view him favorably while only 20% view him unfavorably. Compare that to Eric Cantor who has unfavorable ratings tied with his favorable ratings, both at 31%. Only 20% have a positive view of Cantor and 39% have a negative view of him.
Among democrats only 46% recognize the name Mark Herring and fewer recognize Ralph Northam, only 37%, both of whom are likely candidates for Governor in 2017.
When Cuccinelli is matched against Herring, the results are a tie at 38%. Gillespie is the strongest candidate against the Democrats.
See full results here.
99 comments
The Va Vision PAC is a fringe Tea Party type group that makes claims of influencing and supporting candidates with no hard evidence to back up those claims. I would be suspicious before giving to this group. Don’t get them confused with Obenshains PAC which is called Vision for Va.
As a former federal law enforcement official, I have my own concerns with this group based on research I have done.
Folks have the right to agree or disagree with the votes Ms Comstock has taken but wasting money giving to groups that want to take her out is a waste of time and money.
Here is an idea! How about spending money and time taking out Democrats rather than electable Republican candidates like Comstock.
The hatred by some of the commentators on this blog towards Ms Comstock is misguided and uncalled for.
Bolling had nothing to do with Ken losing. Ken drove the Dems out to vote against him. Many Dems were not thrilled with McAuliffe but once Ken won the nomination, they came out in droves rather than sit it out if Bolling had won.
EW Jackson pissed off more potential voters with his insane and inappropriate comments relating to religious beliefs.
Ken has quite the history in Fairfax oif stepping on folks to ge ahead. There were several fundraisers with VIP types where Ken was not invited only Obenshain was the receiptant of those donations.
The word “crazy” is often used by those in the legal profession who normally vote either Republican or as a Independant when describing Ken. This is very unfortunate.
I voted for Ken C. as AG, not for Governor.
The word crazy maybe for some , for me not honest or ignorant I haven’t pinned it yet.
Sorry to be harsh , candidates will say anything to be elected.
I just don’t support you at the polls when elected I communicate after only then the real Rep. will expose themselves.
I know that I made a wise choice for Governor based on Ken’s comments to me from his office of AG.
I love to show everyone the communication, true disbelief.
An honest question if you please: Where might I find the democratic equivalent of this blog? I’d like to read what they’re fighting about…
BlueVirginia.us is a pretty good democrat blog in Virginia
The Virginia Vision PAC Calls on All Principled Conservatives to Challenge Three Virginia Representatives. Congressional Representatives Scott Rigell (2nd), Robert Hurt 5th), and Barbara Comstock (10th) Cast a Major Vote Against Republican Values.
It is time to begin a search for potential Conservative Republican candidates to challenge these Representatives in the 2016 election cycle. Individuals who have interest in running for office in these districts may contact our PAC at 571-278-9862. We stand ready to assist.
I want the Virginia Vision Pac folks to demonstrate what exactly how much money they have raised and what were those funds used for!
I want Va Vision Pac to tell me exactly how much money they have raised and who their donors are because there are no records of actual fundraising going on.
First, “they” write a prescription for another dose of foul tasting “Bush”. And now, the Dr. says that we need to be put on Cuccinnelli again also.
Looks to me like we have a chronic illness. The illness is not caused by the candidate, it is caused by the message.
Just look how popular Trump has become by throwing the establisment corporate Republican’s under the bus on just one little issue, illegal immigration. He broke ranks on the Republican’s source of cheap labor.
Now, if he runs as an Independent, he already has the votes locked up to put Hillary in by a decent margin.
It was already over, and now, it’s really over in 16′.
I want to vote Republican for the next Governor of Virginia but they are going to have to protect Virginia jobs and not just talk of ” job creation “.
Trump has thrown Corporate Republican’s under the bus as someone should have done long ago.
Trump has yet to speak of ” scrubbing coal “. The coal issue alone will carry Southwest VA., WVA , KY , OH and many more.
Personally I do not believe that Va. Republicans are loyal enough to Virginian’s to break ranks of a party platform.
Our next Governor will sign Employee Misclassification Legislation.
How will a Republican Governor see that this legislation is not making just another “corporate loophole” for illegal immigrants and their employers to circumnavigate The Virginia Compensation Act and other Occupational Laws .
Republicans must bring some Virginia Statesman Honor in Leadership life to their Party , I have yet to witness this loyalty.
Well written my friend.
I hate to be shallow, but our candidates have to look good and sound good. The Cooch is not terribly
photogenic and his voice is grating on the nerves. At the 2014 convention in Roanoke, I closed my eyes and listened to the Cooch deliver his speech. He needs voice coaching lessons big time.
I disagree with both of those things. Ken looks fine and his voice is fine. Neither of those things cost the election.
Jeanine, how has the electorate changed to make a KC candidacy a winning one? has Va become more evangelical? do more Virginians now support gay marriage than in 2013? these are impt questions before our party nominates a far right wing candidate
Ken should have been elected in 2013, if only the squishy establishment types had not abandoned him. They preferred the feckless leadership of Terry McAwful, I suppose.
sigh. ok, what will KC change about himself to garner more votes?
actually, our Party is bound to have someone who can win statewide.
IF the squishy establishment types would take their own advice and support the actual GOP nominee instead of getting their panties in a wad when a true conservative is nominated, then there would be no worries. Every time they nominate a weak conservative, they expect us to hold our noses and vote for their candidate, do they not?
I wonder if the RPV will try to push a primary down our throats for the 2017 gubernatorial race like they did for the presidential election coming up? I can guarantee we will be saddled with yet another weak nominee for both elections if that is the case. More importantly, more losses!
but you like KC & he lost. is there another conservative that you like that could win a statewide election?
There are plenty of conservatives that I like, none that would satisfy the squishy establishment types I fear. I am more concerned at maintaining the House of Delegates and the State Senate at this point. Wouldn’t want the squishy establishment endorsed Terry McAwful to gain anymore power, now would we? BTW, Reagan didn’t win his first time in the big rodeo either.
here’s the truth: our party has to settle on a candidate that can win statewide. we nominated KC & he lost. so we might have to settle on a candidate slightly more center.
I wonder what the squishy establishment types will do if we play their game if they nominate another RINO? I, for one, am tired of holding my nose. If your candidate has never read the republican creed, you might as well run them as a democrat.
Didn’t we hear over and over and over and over again how the reason McCain and Romney lost was because the “base” stayed at home and let a Democrat get elected? So it looks like the so-called “conservative” fringe already claimed two scalps.
Romney lost because he got scared of a fat lady. McCain lost because he pulled the ” I’m a hero because I got captured,” ticket just a few too many times. Just ask The Donald.
Point is, Tea Party types have bragged about how they don’t support Republican nominees they find to be unsuitable. I don’t see many so-called “Establishment” types bragging about the reverse.
Really? Nice attempt to rewrite history.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2013/11/12/va-gop-lt-gov-bill-bolling-undermined-cuccinelli-at-every-step/
Okay, I see two politicians: Bill Bolling and Boyd Marcus. I guess you can count Bolling’s entire base of loyal supporters along with him… so we’re still at two folks. And that was motivated by sour grapes and money (respectively) as much as anything.
Why can’t we count crybaby Bolling’s supporters? All I heard was wailing and gnashing of teeth from that crew.
Sure, count them all. You might have enough to fill up a minivan.
Really? Show where a Tea Party person didn’t vote for the establishment guy. I can show you plenty of examples where it has worked the other way. But you know that.
I just pointed out two. Plus there are certain Virginia bloggers who made a big show of withholding their support for Gillespie and Comstock.
Ken lost by 2%. If the establishment Republicans had gotten behind, he would have won.
if this is true, why do you think these persons didn’t vote for him? his message? his campaign style? his ads? or was McAuliffe able to reach more voters?
No, there will not be a primary in 2017. We will have a convention so we have a hope of nominating a conservative.
I hope it stays that way!
That hasn’t been decided yet, and you know it.
I know you don’t like it, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have a convention. We will.
Again, that hasn’t been decided yet. There are new State Central Committee elections next year and that SCC will be the one who decides how we nominate our 2017 candidates.
Don’t expect it to look the same as this year’s.
we had a convention that nominated our gubernatorial candidates. they did not win. if KC keeps blaming Republicans for his loss, he will lose more & more potential Republican voters. does this make sense to you?
What in the poll numbers provided in this article makes you think Ken is not the frontrunner at this point and time? By all means, support a primary. It is always so much fun letting the demwits choose the GOP candidates!
Dems voted for Brat. the uber right thinks that is grand.
Why do you like open primaries, then? Can you try to make some sense?
Who might that be?
my question about our party finding a candidate who passes all the uber right litmus test that can win statewide was directed at those who blame KC’s loss not on the electorate or himself but on other Republicans.
who is the magic candidate that can satisfy the uber right & win statewide?
“Uber” right? I would be happy if our candidates could read and follow the Republican Creed. When you have people like Speaker Howell forcing an “historic” tax increase down the throats of the Virginia taxpayers, you have to question what ideology they actually follow. BTW, “historic” in the sense that the 2013 Transportation Bill was the biggest tax increase in the history of Virginia.
I don’t question Bill Howell’s ideology, nor do most Republicans who live in his district. Howell is a conservative Republican who, not being an anarchist, is not absolutely opposed to taxes as a way to make government function.
You’re free to disagree with him on the one or two issues you don’t see eye-to-eye, but you are all the way out of your mind if you think that makes him less of a conservative, or less of a Republican, than you.
Forcing delegates to vote for an “historic” tax increase sounds real conservative. You are a hoot!
You don’t seem to understand how representative democracy works. No one was “forced” to do anything. There is nothing in the conservative dogma that calls for an opposition to all taxes–that’s anarchy. So it is a matter of degree. You and Howell may slightly differ on taxes, but Howell is a proven conservative leader and his overwhelming victory in the primary validates his leadership.
Not the situation I heard about with my delegate as well as a neighboring delegate. They were told to shut up and color, which in military jargon means do as you are told. My delegate didn’t even read the “historic” tax increase bill before he voted to pass it. Kind of makes one wonder why Virginia has dropped from one of the top ten States to do business, don’t it?
http://chiefexecutive.net/best-worst-states-for-business-2014/#ranking
Howell is pretty lame on 2nd Amendment rights, too. Just ask the members of the VCDL. FYI, Billy has a big fat “F” voting record grade!
http://vcdl.org/sites/default/files/General_Assembly_Voting_Score_for_2015.pdf
It appears being pathetic on tax issues and weak on following the Constitution makes one an exemplary leader in your book. For your obvious entertainment:
Republican Creed
WE BELIEVE:
That the free enterprise system is the most productive supplier of
human needs and economic justice,
That all individuals are entitled to equal rights, justice, and
opportunities and should assume their responsibilities as citizens in a free
society,
That fiscal responsibility and budgetary restraints must be
exercised at all levels of government,
That the Federal Government must preserve individual liberty by
observing Constitutional limitations,
That peace is best preserved through a strong national defense,
That faith in God, as recognized by our Founding Fathers is
essential to the moral fiber of the Nation.
You’re posting using a pseudonym, meaning there’s no way to verify anything that you supposedly “heard”. Anonymous sources quoting anonymous sources. For that matter, we don’t even know if you live in Virginia. All I know about you is you can read faces, and use that gift to explain every loss.
The NRA gives Bill Howell an A+. That’s good enough for me and the 2nd Amendment.
the Republican creed language: “equal opportunity”. “Uber” right wing Republicans need to remember this. & expand our tent.
you still haven’t answered the question I asked: who would the “uber” right like to run that can win a statewide election?
Considering how those on the SCOTUS continue to redefine words when it comes to Obumblercare and making up new rights, you might have to explain to me what exactly you mean by “equal opportunity.” Does your tent include Christians or do you have a problem with word definitions, too?
“That faith in God, as recognized by our Founding Fathers is essential to the moral fiber of the Nation.”
should i repeat the question: who can the uber right settle on that can win a statewide election?
Considering you are a little slow on the uptake, I will support the most conservative candidate available regardless upon whether YOU think he/she can win a statewide election. IF Ken is in the race, (considering how strong he is polling right now, I would say that is a strong possibility), I will continue to support him unless there is someone more conservative. Not very likely, btw. As I have always done, I will support the eventual GOP nominee. I will also be working very hard to get the right nominee, as I have also always done.
What is your definition of “equal rights?”
Bob McDonnell?
I’ve yet to see any proof that Ken was “abandoned” by anybody. His campaign team ran a campaign designed to depress turnout–hence ultra-negative throughout the last two months. You can’t blame anybody but Ken’s campaign for that.
The same time that you are blowing hot air about “establishment” abandoning Ken, E.W. Jackson folks are blowing hot air about Ken abandoning E.W. It’s all unprovable nonsense.
Unprovable? The number of votes cast in 2013 would be enough proof for most intelligent people. Number of votes cast for Ken: 1,010,929, votes cast for E.W.: 980,257, votes cast for Obenshain: 1,104,138. Obviously, had the squishy establishment types voted for the entire GOP ticket like they tell everyone to do when it is their nominees, Ken and E.W would have been elected easily.
I think E.W.’s poor showing had more to do with his race than anything else. While knocking on doors before the election, I could see the demeanor of supposed republicans change when they saw the picture of E.W. on the campaign literature I was passing out. Funny how facial expressions can tell the truth about a persons character. Also funny that people could be that clueless about who was running within a week of the election.
BTW, too many poll workers in my area reported seeing known republicans split their vote. An unintended consequence of using them new voting scanners is those putting the ballots into the machine can see the votes cast. I suppose something should be done about that. We wouldn’t want to have a reason to condemn squishy establishment types, now would we?
https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/anecdotal
Your idea of proof is “I saw some people make a weird face one time.” I don’t think anything more needs to be said.
The difference in vote share between the three candidates is easily made up of swing voters who were less comfortable with Cuccinelli than they were Obenshain. It might be news for so-called “conservatives”, but there are more voters than just the Tea Party and the Establishment, and swing voters typically have the greatest impact on the outcome.
Love the deflection. Do you always have an issue comprehending what you read? Must be the reason why so many squishy establishment types can’t understand the GOP Creed.
I asked for proof, you gave me anecdotal evidence, and rather ludicrous ones at that.
My point remains: Cuccinelli did not lose because Republicans didn’t rally behind him. He lost because he didn’t appeal to swing voters. The numbers back me up. A few random facial expressions are all you have to support your false claim.
If you people are gonna remain this clueless, I’m certainly glad we will be doing a convention to elect the next nominee.
Maybe I just need to see more people’s faces. That will help clue me in. Then I’ll be as smart and informed as you!
Must you and your little friends always be so snotty? Never mind. Rhetorical question.
This was meant for BIGron, right? Who, using a pseudonym said I can’t read and was clueless. Talk about snotty!
I said you couldn’t “comprehend,” my crazy clueless, friend. Thanks for trying, though.
And the winner for least self-aware post on the site goes to…Jeanine.
I’m shocked. Truly.
Really??? Wow! I would have thought you would have picked up on that by now. Perhaps you aren’t as smart as you’ve lead yourself to believe.
That you’re not self aware? Trust me, everybody knows that. You just won the prize for the least self aware comment on this thread.
I don’t waste a lot of time worrying about how smart I am. I leave that to folks like you.
Not likely, with what I’ve seen of your posts so far.
That hasn’t been decided yet.
Nothing says stupid like allowing Demwits the ability to vote in GOP primaries.
They can vote in conventions, too. There’s no way to ensure that no Democrats participate in our nomination processes.
Granted, but as cheap as demwits are, I doubt too many would pay the expense of joining a GOP group and then paying the money to travel to a convention. I suppose we were infiltrated in 2013, that’s why we had the most conservative ticket ever nominated in the past 30 years or so. You’re too funny!
If we had been infiltrated, that’s exactly the outcome the Dems would have been shooting for, so it didn’t really matter.
If the Democrats interfere in our elections, it’s to set their candidates up to win. They do that by voting for who they consider the most extreme, most unelectable. Not the most moderate or the establishment. Or they do it to knock off incumbents, like they did in the Cantor race.
Yeah, them pesky infiltrating demwits are almost as bad as lobbyists.
Guess you’re not a fan of the first amendment.
Weasels are always welcome at my table. Just pass the bowl of cash, please! Don’t get me started on them union thugs.
When I door-knocked, I can remember several responses of “I’m supporting 2 outta 3” from people. I don’t think it was based on EW being black. I think it was more the way he was framed as an extremist. He did give some pretty good fire-and-brimstone type speeches that didn’t sit well with some. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/va-politics/ew-jackson-says-hes-not-the-extreme-candidate-in-race-for-va-lieutenant-governor/2013/06/27/b220e846-df44-11e2-b94a-452948b95ca8_story.html
The more logical response here isn’t that if the “establishment types” voted for Ken he would have won, the more logical response is that if the libertarians who voted for Sarvis had instead voted for Ken (because it appears they voted for Mark), Ken would have won.
Ken + Sarvis votes beats TMac.
So aim your fire at the libertarians. And I am deeply troubled at the idea that poll workers in your area were observing how people cast their ballots and reporting on them.
I personally believe that Sarvis voters pulled from both sides, as well as those who always vote third-party or write-in, and those who wouldn’t have voted at all but for Sarvis. However, there is an element of truth to this, and further counters the silly idea that “establishment types” sat on their hands.
I believe this assessment is sound as Sarvis’ impact was clearly spread across both Cuccinelli and McAuliffe albeit with Cuccinelli taking the larger hit. If you are into second guessing I would guess that Sarvis pulled more so called self proclaimed conservative votes to him then “other” but unlikely enough to swing the election, at least according to most post election analysis I have seen. The final weeks of the Cuccinelli campaign were chaotic and rather ineffectual looking, as the duties of campaign manager Dave Rexrode, senior adviser Chris LaCivita and deputy campaign manager Meredith Wall were shuffled about in the run-up to the Nov. 5 election, and there was a large amount of carping about an unprecedented hostile media environment that was blocking Cuccinelli’s message. It was clearly a campaign in trouble and struggling to right itself with little to do with any establishment machinations. They ran a poor campaign lead by a poorly performing candidate. Going down this road again is just positioning the RPV for another loss at the state gubernatorial level.
Correctly, I put more blame on Bolling and his ilk. I submit that if Bolling had at least tried to run for governor, he would have had a whole lot more credibility as a republican. As it was, he cried, took his marbles and went home.
You should be concerned. Kind of easy to notice whether someone voted the republican ticket with the new scanning machines that are being used in some counties. Unless you blindfold the poll workers that are there to help scan the ballots, I don’t foresee a fix.
Bolling is a convenient scapegoat for folks who don’t want to accept that we didn’t what we needed to do in order to win that race. Sarvis cost Ken far more votes than Bolling did. I consider Bill a good friend and I still backed Ken. Almost everybody I know who would have supported bill over him did. Establishment Republicans support the nominee, whoever it is. Sarvis is what cost us that race, not Bolling or anybody else.
I am concerned, because apparently you’ve got some election officers where ever you are who are not protecting the secret ballot. We train our election officers not to stare at a candidates ballot as it’s been inserted into the machine. Unless the voter is disabled, there’s really no reason to help them with the machine. They’re user friendly.
“Establishment Republicans support the nominee, whoever it is”?
When did Establishment Republican’s start doing that? Today? Hint. Brat??????
David Brat won election in November with 60% of the vote; Eric Cantor last won in 2012 with 58% of the vote. It appears Brat suffered no drop-off whatsoever among Republican voters in the 7th District.
Ah, wait just a minute. Is the definition of support confined to the polls?
Does BD have a positive attitude towards Dave Brat? Does BD encourage others to support in all ways Brat? Or, do they constantly encourage negative articles about Brat?
Does BD totally support the Honorable Congressman Rob Wittman?
Does TBE have a positive attitude and totally support Barbara Comstock? Bill Howell?
Moving on, then.
Yes indeed we support Barbara Comstock! I helped elect her. duh.
Can we look forward to you supporting her throughout the 2016 election cycle?
If she’s our candidate, of course. I worked for her last time and will again.
Barbara Comstock gets an “F” and appears to be quite the RINO.
https://www.conservativereview.com/search?type=member&state=&zip=&keywords=comstock
Who cares what grade Barbara Constock got or did not get from a group. Only ignorant folks based their opinion of a elected official on some scorecard. I never base my support for a candidate on a score or whether they answered some groups questionaire. Who cares what the conservative review saids!
She will win reelection based on what she has done to make the lives of those she represents better.
LOL, sure you did.
Brat won the general election, didn’t he?
Perhaps you should be pressing to change the voting system, then. A curtain would do wonders, I bet.
There’s no need. If the election officers are trained properly, there’s almost no reason for them to have to look at anybody’s ballot. At least not with the system we use.
I think you better get this fixed before the next election. I hear there are lists, too.
Sure you do.
Just let me know where you live and I’ll take care of it for you.
How? You can’t even stop them pesky infiltrating demwits from voting in the GOP conventions. I do like that “appeasement” attitude you are showing by supporting even more open primaries. The squishy establishment mentality is a wonder to behold, I must say. I almost feel like I’m dealing with President Prissy-pants.
You’re cute.
Absurd. Patently ridiculous. Worst idea since the McRib.