Any impartial observer of Virginia’s recent political trajectory would notice that the momentum has been almost entirely in one direction: toward the far right. With a nearly unbroken string of statewide and national victories, the Republican Party of Virginia is undoubtedly feeling pretty good about its current standing in the commonwealth.
In fact, if the GOP’s grand poobahs have anything to worry about, it’s a rash of conservative primary challenges from Tea Party purists. But with an electorate that willingly combined the words “Ken Cuccinelli” and “Attorney General,” is there any conservative candidate they wouldn’t vote for?
With that in mind, we thought we’d take a quick look beyond the political horizon and see what else could possibly be coming down the pike. In keeping with our highly organized nature, we’ll start with the most likely GOP victories, and then move farther and farther toward the fringes. So be warned: If the idea of Virginia turning into an East Coast Kansas freaks you out, stop reading now!
Bill Stanley beats Hank Davis. This state senate race (to replace newly elected U.S. Representative Robert Hurt) is widely considered a gimmee for the red team. In fact, until Davis stepped up, the Dems weren’t even planning on fielding a candidate. Even now, Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw doesn’t seem to hold out much hope for his fellow Democrat. Asked by the Washington Post to assess Davis’ chances, Saslow couldn’t muster much enthusiasm. “The numbers aren’t good,” he admitted.
Greg Habeeb beats Ginger Mumpower. Another special election—this one to replace Delegate Morgan Griffith, who unseated longtime U.S. Representative Rick Boucher. Democrat Mumpower is actually the better known of the two, but Habeeb is still considered the favorite, due to the district’s conservative slant.
Judge Henry Hudson rules against Obama’s health care law. Although it’s been upheld as constitutional by two other federal judges so far, the smart money says that Hudson will side with AG Cuccinelli against the Obama administration’s health care overhaul. Hudson, a Republican who owns shares in a campaign consulting company used by the Republican National Committee, has already rejected a motion to dismiss the suit.
Jamie Radtke wins a U.S. Senate seat. Radtke, chairwoman of the Virginia Tea Party Patriots, has long hinted that she might challenge Jim Webb in 2012. The fact that she recently declined to run for a second term as VTPP head has only intensified the chatter. If she jumps into the race, dispenses with former senator George Allen in a Republican primary, and then bests Webb in the general election, we are truly through the looking glass.
Virginia opts out of Medicaid. At a recent press conference, Cuccinelli mused that Virginia should think about rejecting the “big pot of money” that the federal government provides for disabled and low-income residents. Sure, why not? What could possibly go wrong?
Delegate Bill Howell’s “Repeal Amendment” is adopted. Yes, that’s right—House Speaker Howell wants to amend the U.S. Constitution so that a combined vote by two-thirds of the states could overturn any federal law. Sure, it sounds improbable that Virginia—which had to be forced by the Supreme Court to decriminalize interracial marriage—would be able to engineer such a major constitutional change. But give ’em a few years, and there’s little doubt that the combined efforts of Delegate Howell, Senator Radtke, Governor Cuccinelli and President Palin can pull it off. And then, my good friends, we can all party like it’s 1859.
