Ed Gillespie appears to have learned a great deal about Republicans in the Commonwealth since his narrow defeat for the United State’s Senate. First, Mr. Gillespie has aggressively pursued the conservative wing of the Republican grassroots; securing loyalties and buy-in years before the real race for Governor began. Second, Mr. Gillespie has learned that there is nothing to be gained from antagonizing the populist wing of the party, no matter how awful, how nasty, or how dishonest they are about him personally and professionally. Third, Mr. Gillespie understands that campaigns are about monotonous optimism and allowing your surrogates to fight in the mud, when fights in the mud are necessary.
Mr. Gillespie hasn’t slipped through the entire campaign. He has demonstrated very little interest in slinging insults and his campaign staff has tried to keep the focus on the issues and on beating the Democrats. It isn’t sexy. Focusing on the Democrats isn’t going to get Republicans on Facebook and Twitter talking about your candidacy. However, I’m not sure that having Republicans talking about you on Facebook and Twitter is actually a good thing. Corey Stewart has built an army of die-hard supporters who have so infuriated every other Republican that it seems impossible for Stewart to get 35%.
In fact, Rand Paul based his entire Presidential campaign on winning Social Media. It was a remarkable failure.
Mr. Gillespie’s campaign hasn’t inspired me, but for a front-runner, he’s accomplished something remarkable. Somehow, he’s become everyone’s second choice. Stewart voters seem more annoyed by Frank Wagner’s pragmatism and his history of slating than they seem bothered by Gillespie’s history as a Bush Administration insider and D.C. lobbyist. If Wagner doesn’t win, 100% of his voters will go to Gillespie. With Denver Riggleman out of the race, it appears that a large number of his supporters are far more likely to back Gillespie than they are to back the populist candidacy of Corey Stewart.
Gillespie would win a convention today. That’s crazy – but it is the result of running a remarkably brilliant and a remarkably steady campaign.
While I understand the motivation of those running around social media screaming “Establishment Ed” at the top of their lungs (he is an establishment candidate), what I don’t understand is their abandonment of the entire conservative tradition and years of their own pretense at principle, in their support of Corey Stewart. It just looks weird.
Gillespie is going to win the primary in June. The question is, will the populists all stay home in November? Are the populists willing to continue electing Democrat Governors who veto every conservative piece of legislation passed by our General Assembly?
Honestly, I think that is exactly what they intend to do. Thankfully, Mr. Gillespie has run such a positive campaign, that I think more than a few populists will find themselves unable to manufacture their faux hatred for Ed come November. If Mr. Gillespie continues to run a positive campaign aimed at defeating the Democrats, then I think he has a realistic shot at winning in November.
The Democrats have a difficult choice. Nominate a candidate with no pulse and half-a-brain or nominate a candidate who will scare the living hell out of Independents in the Commonwealth. Either way, whomever they choose doesn’t hurt a Republican’s chances in November.
This is not an endorsement of Mr. Gillespie. I honestly don’t know who I’m voting for in June. Neither Mr. Wagner nor Mr. Gillespie have advocated a political platform I can get behind, but come June, I know I’ll be voting for one or the other. I’ll probably vote for the candidate that I feel ran the smartest and most honest campaign. Right now, I have no idea who comes out on top there. All I know is that Wagner’s campaign has impressed me with its pragmatism and honesty; and Mr. Gillespie’s campaign has impressed me with its humility and willingness to embrace factions within the party the establishment has historically ignored. Kudos to Mr. Gillespie for that.
20 comments
[…] Ed Gillespie […]
He’s a nice guy.
I think Virginians have tired of political drama a bit. Gillespie is the stable man for this moment. Generally positive, nothing negative, generally likable, good ground game, etc. He’s made all the right moves as described above. Even his Redskins’ commercial was an excellent and memorable calculated risk from the last election.
It’s Ed’s to lose at this point. Even with the Democratic anger over Trump, I don’t see it translating down ballot at this point.
And I think Ed is good for Virginia Republicans. Clearly he can run for Senate once his 4 years as governor is over. This is getting ahead of the game, but I’d REALLY like a Senate seat back and Gillespie can deliver now with the Governor and later with the Senate. He’s a win-win. There is nobody else in the state that can politically deliver as much as Gillespie can over the next several years.
That sounds about right.
Will Gillespie work as a governor to defund sanctuary cities in the commonwealth, holding money from locals that fail to work with ICE that should be deporting illegals once their sentence is served?
Yes
How do you know this?
do you ever sleep?
That’s info is classified!
I predict that he’ll take the usual neo-con route with immigration.
Promise reform during the campaign and then do nothing, terrified somebody might call him a racist.
Gillespie will be a good candidate and can win the governor’s race. Is he perfect, no, but neither am I (and most other people). I was going to give Corey Stewart a pass this year without saying anything negative, but he is absolutely putting the screws (once again) to Prince William County taxpayers over a stupid ball stadium. I watched the Republican debate with the 3 running and most of the stuff Stewart was acusing Gillespie of, he is guilty of. We all love election year Corey when gets all hard-core conservative, but after he gets elected, he runs as fast as he can to the left and starts putting it to us. We in Prince William County have seen his shennagins for several years now and are tired of him. There is a reason he lost the straw poll at our county’s GOP gala several weeks ago. I was there and it wasn’t “rigged”. If you want more specifics on why he is a bad apple, go to the article a few days ago called, “Corey Stewart – Dumbest Campaign Ever” and read my comments. Trust us in Prince William County when we say, ABC…anybody but Corey.
Today I’m not here to be antagonistic, but to make a few points. Being a recovering “conservative,”since the neocons and globalists have taken over the conservative faction of the Republican Party, I have become a populist, an antiquated Buchananite, if you will.
First off, Ed Gillespie is a nice guy, I met him, he is, so what. Many people say Obama was a nice guy, look what this racist has done to this country.
I have no hatred for Gillespie; I will vote for him in the general, after he wins the primary. Of course I will hold my nose when I do. And, I will tell you why, the 2nd amendment.
The following is why I would never vote for him in the primary, and gladly vote for Corey Stewart. Gillespie supports sanctuary cities and open borders.
Let me put it this way Gillespie supporters; when some illegal alien, inner city savage, or some Muslim scum rapes, murders, or assaults your kid, grandkid, niece, or nephew, remember, you voted for the guy who turned a blind eye to these animals.
Have a nice day:
I will only support Corey Stewart.
Gillespie is insincere in job creation.
Job creation for Mr. Gillespie would be a minimal unintended outcome of Corporate Governing.
Some say yes even authors on this site illegal immigration is a Federal issue. When I hear this CRAP I where your allegiance ly or lie .
Example ; Oh NO illegal aliens are voting.OK ;
1.how many illegal aliens are voting in Senator Newmams precincts in VA.?
2. Same precincts ;
How any illegal aliens took legal tax paying citizens jobs, ( their livelyhood) and are still in our communities today.
If Va. Republicans only worry about the illegal alien 1 day out of the year this means that the same Republicans are only Representing you on that same one day.
Gillespie is a build a bear poltician.
Cut DPOR Regulation and the growth of Goverment then start with that misdirected GROW of a bill HB253 (have to have insurance to get a license , A Big DUH , try you can’t buy insurance without a license).
He spoke of cutting DPOR reg. Under McDonnell .
Which Regs.?
How many jobs netted?
0? , 01?, If he is elected the answer will be only his job.
Every politician always talks about “job creation”. But job creation for whom? More H1b visa holders, Left-wing Californians, and union-supporting blight from the NE? Will any of these new jobs ever go to Virginians who are already here?
If Gillespie gets it first session they approve uranium mining in Pittsylvania and Henry County.
Illegals mining uranium?
We have a Republican majority , we will elect Adams and our Lt.G , no need to do something counterproductive.
A mob from either side will kill Va.
I preferred Riggleman during his short candidacy. But even in my defense of Riggleman, I always said I’d vote for whomever becomes the Republican nominee, presumably Gillespie. I still intend to do so, without any qualms whatsoever.
It sure looks like Gillespie will win the primary. But it amuses me that some view the contest as a grand battle between populists and conservatives. I don’t think there are many Republicans who think we need to rout conservatives from the party and replace them with populists, nor vice versa. Rather, I think most Republicans just want the best candidate who can win, to move the country toward the right goal line, as opposed to where Schumer and Pelosi and Northam are trying to go.
If Gillespie wins the nomination, it just means most Republicans believe Gillespie has the better chance to beat Northam.
The Populists want to banish all establishment, libertarian, conservative, moderate, and independent folks from the Republican Party. That’s the truth. It’s why I take such a hard line against them.
I’d say “redefine” to a couple of those banishments rather than banish. Actually, as a populist, I mite welcome most of your banished list if it were not for our PAC and campaign finance system.
Trump is no populist, he’s a liar.
Well said
I agree with you up to the Northam part. I believe the McAuliffe/Clinton/Kaine machine will manage a democratic candidate Perriello, who has been endorsed by and is campaigning with Sanders. If Perriello were to win our governorship, it would show our state’s true colors. We no longer could be called a swing state – we’d be part of the northeastern progressive nightmare. Gillespie is a good, solid candidate and he’s done everything he can to win this state. Even though he’s more moderate than I am, he is a good man and I feel he would be a vast improvement over Terry – of course, so would I.