Oh dear. That’s rather embarrassing.

Posted by Tim McCormack on 28 August 2007 @ 9pm

No worries. The reports from the focus groups should be back soon.

Posted by Dan Kachur on 28 August 2007 @ 11pm

Ha Ha Ha. You should have warned me before I clicked. That’s just too funny.

Posted by Vivian J. Paige on 28 August 2007 @ 11pm

There are Republicans in Albemarle?

Posted by Ward Smythe on 29 August 2007 @ 7am

He, there are still a couple left. But we will get’em this election.

Posted by Jon on 29 August 2007 @ 7am

Their webmaster did manage to get the “Virginia Republican Creed” up before the bus came this morning. This was my favorite:

That the Federal Government must preserve individual liberty by observing constitutional limitations.

Posted by tim on 29 August 2007 @ 9am

The Republican Party in Albemarle is badly divided. Like many county parties in the region, it’s been taken over by far, far right ideologues who have nothing in common with the Republicans who actually make up the party in the county. The folks who have been the heart and soul of the party for decades have been pushed out, and it’s being run by a bunch of radical come-heres. The message from the new leadership is the same as the message from the far-right party leadership across the state: “either you’re with us, or you’re against us.” Given the choice, a great many Republicans have come into the fold as Jim Webb Democrats, and we welcome them.

All of which explains the constantly declining Republican majority in Albemarle. As of last election, it looked very much like Democrats are now the majority. We’ll know for sure come November.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 29 August 2007 @ 10am

Democrats asserted their slight majority in Albemarle as early as 2004, when John Kerry carried it with 51%. It was also the only county that Al Weed carried against Virgil Goode that year. Tim Kaine then carried Albemarle by a larger margin in 2005 and Jim Webb shut ‘em down in Albemarle in 2006 with 57%.

Bear in mind that Albemarle County is George Allen’s former home and base. Jim Webb clobbering him here really meant something.

Posted by Jack on 29 August 2007 @ 10am

…and it’s being run by a bunch of radical come-heres.

What’s a “radical come-heres?”

Posted by TrvlnMn on 29 August 2007 @ 3pm

Come-here: A person who moved here. It’s the briefest way that I know of to express that concept in noun form. And you know the definition of “radical.” :)

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 29 August 2007 @ 4pm

Ah. Gotcha. “Come-Here’s” equal “Transplants”.

In that case, that is a problem that isn’t unique to the Albemarle Republican Party. The problem of “Come-Here’s” or “Transplants” is kinda like weeds or any invasive non-native species which gets into everything and displaces indigenous species, thereby degrading the integrity of native communities.

It’s a problem that’s been plaguing the region over the past few decades.

:)

Posted by TrvlnMn on 29 August 2007 @ 6pm

Yeah, like when those guys with the beards and the funny looking hats got off their boats and started “buying the place with beads”

Posted by Jon on 29 August 2007 @ 7pm

In that case, that is a problem that isn’t unique to the Albemarle Republican Party.

Oh, no, it’s not unique to the Republicans, but it is a defining split in the party. Among active county Democrats, there’s no such ideological split. But among active county Republicans, it’s the folks who have moved here who are so far to the right, and the folks who are from here that are your basic, traditional Republicans.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 29 August 2007 @ 11pm