Well here we are, smack dab in the middle of the saddest-slash-most-satisfying time of the year. Saddest because, let’s face it, the political world rarely gets more absurd and lampoonable than it does during election season, when even the most calculated and circumspect pol is willing to go to ridiculous lengths to win re-election, thereby providing an endless supply of embarrassing antics to write about. But also hugely satisfying because, with all of the sturm und drang of the campaign crunch safely behind us, we can sit back and dissect the low blows, outrageous accusations and idiotic outbursts with impunity, knowing exactly what worked, and what ended in electoral disaster. So what did we learn from this offbeat election year? Well, let’s take a look:
 During the election campaign, State Senator Jeaniemarie Devolites-Davis sent out a flyer featuring her opponent’s home address and phone number. As it turns out, now you can write or call him to congratulate him on his victory. |
| More election coverage:
One seat could make all the difference PAC-men pump coins into local races Democrats retake the state Senate Challenging Dems for City Council: a fool’s errand? The race is over, let’s start the race Coloring in the constitutional races Creigh Deeds or Daffy Duck? Quoth the voter Video from election night The results |
Nasty campaigning doesn’t always work
The biggest shocker of the season, by far, was the defeat of State Senator Jeaniemarie Devolites-Davis (wife of U.S. Rep. Tom Davis) by the bowtie-sportin’ political upstart Chap Peterson. Although Senator Devolites-Davis had the power of incumbency (and her politically powerful husband’s name and war chest to back her up), her campaign started off on the low road, and headed swiftly downhill from there. In fact, in a year full of gutter politics, Devolites-Davis managed to distinguish herself by sending out a flyer featuring her opponent’s home address and phone number, along with the names of his wife and kids, and then defend her actions by saying that Peterson’s kids were "in play" because he had publicly mentioned their gymnastics lessons and hockey games. Alas, all of the slime-slinging in the world wasn’t enough to keep Peterson from winning the race in a relative landslide, 55 percent to 45 percent.
Maybe brown people aren’t so scary, after all
Facing a disgruntled electorate and an increasingly Democratic-leaning commonwealth, many Virginia Republicans decided to run on the issue that’s done more for them than Vanna White did for Pat Sajak: immigration. Unfortunately, despite a level of anti-immigrant vitriol and fearmongering not seen since the zoning board meetings for the Great Wall of China, voters didn’t seem to take the bait. Although Prince William County voters kept anti-illegal immigrant crusader Corey Stewart as chairman of their Board of Supervisors, Republican hopes for a tsunami of "Keep Virginia Pale" sentiment to sweep them into power were sadly disappointed. As The Washington Post noted the day after the election, Virginians seemed to vote "not out of anger over illegal immigration but based on party affiliation, a preference for moderation and strong views on such key issues as residential growth and traffic congestion." Sorry, guys—better demagogy next time!
Pocketbook politics trumps all
Finally, if there’s one lesson to be learned from this kooky campaign season, it’s this: Folks are worried about the economy, and Democrats are benefiting from this gnawing unease. An instructive election-day article in the Los Angeles Times (of all places) focused on the effects of the housing downturn on Loudoun County, and the results were not pretty (especially if you happen to have an "R" after your name). This used to be fertile ground for the GOP, but as the Times reporter followed local resident Karla Schroeder around her foreclosure-riddled neighborhood, the dissatisfaction was palpable. "I used to consider myself a Republican," Schroeder said, "but now I consider myself an independent." What’s more, according to the Times, this recently renounced Republican was, for the first time in her life, actually thinking about voting for a Democrat! (Oh, the horror, the horror.)
Of course, now that the Democrats have wrested control of the State Senate, they’ll have to answer to Little Ms. Fickle this time next year if her financial outlook doesn’t improve soon. But that’s the genius of politics: You spend all of your time courting voters, and then the bastards actually expect you to do something for them.
Come to think of it, maybe Jeaniemarie Devolites-Davis is the real winner, after all.
