In Virginia coal country, voters’ suspicions reveal a GOP vulnerability (WaPo)

The Washington Post ^ | October 23, 2013 | Ben Pershing

[Timber Rattler]

WISE, Va. — Amid the struggling businesses and flattened mountaintops strip-mined decades ago, antipathy toward Democrats and what’s known in this region as their “war on coal” is stronger than just about anywhere else in the country.

That has translated naturally into broad opposition to Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic candidate for governor this year. But across the coal fields of far-southwest Virginia, something unusual is also happening: Voters don’t like the Republican candidate, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II, much better.

Cuccinelli’s struggles seem to stem largely from a complex legal case that pits big coal companies against local property owners over the extraction of gas from Virginia land. A lawyer in Cuccinelli’s office intervened on behalf of the companies, and McAuliffe has seized on that to cast the Republican as something other than the defender-of-the-little-guy he has claimed to be throughout this year’s contentious campaign.

[Timber Rattler]

Note the Libertarian strength in SWVA:

[cicero2k]

“flattened mountaintops:” AKA Mesas in Colorado, Utah etc.

[NormsRevenge]

If the voters are that stupid and continue to be this naive to the real threats facing this land,, fine, let ‘em sink into a democratic morass.

It’s more obabaCare for the rest of us. ;-]

[Liz]

Haven't you all heard....money is pouring into McAuliffe's campaign....

Virginia TV airs 2-3 McAuliffe ads against Cuccinelli ads---McAuliffe must be spending easily ten, twenty, fifty times what Cuccinelli is spending. B/c McAuliffe's got zillions at his disposal.

McAuliffe is apparently polling well---and prolly receiving mucho campaign cash---from the "dearly departed" b/c a lawsuit Democrats filed says “the [VA State Board of Elections] is rushing to complete the purging of dead voters in time to have the desired effect on the upcoming gubernatorial election.....to make sure that those who no longer live here don’t vote here."

(cackle) The "dearly departed" are also Hillary voters.

The buzz is Terry is 2016 Hillary's place-keeper. If elected, grave-robber Terry will insure she has the votes to win. (That's after he rapes the VA state treasury.)

The desperate power-mad Clintons are no doubt financing their old buddy McAuliffe.......b/c the Clintons have three (count 'em) three tax-exempt foundations worth millions to siphon off money from.

====================================================

HILLARY DROPPED BY---MUSTA SEEMED LIKE OLD TIMES---
she cheered on loser McAuliffe for his 2009 gov campaign.

===============================================

OILING THE DEM VOTE-FRAUD MEAT GRINDER? Hillary and Bill both visited VA---just checking to make sure the Dem vote fraud meat grinder for Cuccinelli is in tip-top shape.

==============================================

AS FREEPER SCOTTINVA POSTED:

Alex Trebek: "The state that transformed itself from a cradle of American liberty to the laughing stock of the country when its voting populace chose to be fooled into thinking a corrupt, gladhanding, empty-suited hustler and ripoff artist was somehow preferable over a seasoned, serious conservative Attorney General."

Contestant: "What is Virginia?"

[buckalfa]

Even before the Regime's war on coal, coal employment was diminishing and the industry's importance to the overall economy of VA and WV was shrinking.

Local's have a love/hate relationship with the coal industry. They hate the operators, the pollution, and the damage related to coal mines. Yet they love the jobs and the money. Historically in the coal fields, local and state elections tend to favor the Democrats,thus these polls results are not necessarily surprising.

[jmaroneps37]

Hey a new life as a welfare recipient sounds a lot better than digging for coal right? Stupid is as stupid does.

[TBP]

Terry McAuliffe will turn Virginia into Maryland.

[SpeakerToAnimals]

The LP seems to be making big inroads all over the country. This is the result of Dole, Bush 43, Romney and McCain being foisted on the base over loud objections. Add the recent debacle of fighting against Cruz, loved by the base, and this is the result.

At this rate the LP will be bigger than the stupid party in a few months.

[GeronL]

I would never lower myself into the sewer enough to vote LP, I’ll just stay independent

[jwalsh07]

Nothing against pro life libertarians but your last remark is, well, stupid.

[SpeakerToAnimals]

Stupid? The LP used to poll around 2%, now as high as 16% according to the chart I commented on. Please explain exactly what you think is driving people to the LP.

My comment is "stupid", let's hear your theory for the drop in stupid party numbers while the LP is growing rather fast.

[HokieMom]

BTTT

[JoeTheGeorgian]

—My comment is “stupid”, let’s hear your theory for the drop in stupid party numbers while the LP is growing rather fast. —

The GOP is no longer conservative, but the proseltyzing/evangelist/Yay God! wing of conservatism has nowhere else to go, so expect some blowback whenever mentioning libertarianism here, even though you can’t get much more conservative than libertarianism.

Oh, well...

[jwalsh07]

You stated the LP will be bigger than the Republican Party in a few months. I am so confident that your remark is stupid that I am willing to wager you a 1000 buck donation to FR that in a few months the LP will not be bigger than the RP. Wanna bet?

[jwalsh07]

You’re as stupid as the other guy. You don’t like religious folk? Who gives a FF. But if you think conservatives will back a pro abortion, pro open borders LP you’re not only stupid you’re nuts. Conservatism is about individual liberty, the constitution and the sovereignty of the nation. The slaughter of innocent babies and hordes invading America are not coincident with those principles. Comprende?

[SpeakerToAnimals]

I am halfway to the 1k donation already this year. I am not a betting man. The LP was about 2% in the last election. 16% in places according to the chart. That is 8 times the average over the last few years. Growing fast is not an exaggeration. If the LP is as much as 8 times larger in some areas the growth rate over a few months could be huge. Just wait till the Weeper caves in January.

I await your theory. I am sticking with my theory that dissing Cruz hurt the party and is chasing people away. Just for the record, if I were a Texan I would have voted for Ted Cruz.

[jwalsh07]

I would vote for Cruz or Lee or Trey Gowdy for anything but we are the minority sad to say. Sorry for calling you and the other guy stupid but the pragmatist in me dislikes fantasy.

[SpeakerToAnimals]

No worries. You are an intellectually honest debater and I welcome your input. BTW, I appreciate you acknowledging my pro life stance. Many here keep implying I am lying.

[JoeTheGeorgian]

—You’re as stupid as the other guy. You don’t like religious folk? —

Yup, that’s EXACTLY what I typed. Another perfect example of why the right can’t win political arguments anymore.

—Conservatism is about individual liberty—

No it isn’t—not any more and hasn’t been for a long time. Libertarianism is about individual liberty. Conservatism, as currently practiced, is just totalitarian-lite.

As for the issues you think the GOP base will support or won’t...what do you care if someone wants to abort their own child and spend an eternity in a lake of fire? Let ‘em burn. Who cares who marries whom? Half will end in divorce either way. Let ‘em burn.

That you kvetch about hordes invading america and then ask if I “understand” by using a foreign term is another irony that I’m sure is lost upon you.

[jwalsh07]

LOL, for you I retract my retraction. You truly are thick as a brick.