I’ve been thinking about it for the past few days, and I’m feeling better and better about Creigh Deeds‘ shot at Attorney General. He’s fundraising like there’s no tomorrow, and staying above the Baril/McDonnell fray. I’m frustrated that neither he nor the state party are using a bait-and-bleed strategy on the Republicans, forcing them to waste their money attacking each other, but I think that they may be sufficiently drained of cash come June that it’ll work out just about the same.
It helps that, having known Creigh for years, I know that he’s a hell of a campaigner. He speaks well, he’s engaging, and he knows what it takes to win in a conservative district. He may be Democrats’ best shot at a statewide seat this November.
It does my heart good to hear tyou say that, Waldo, because I don’t know much about Creigh Deeds, but so far I like what I see.
My impressions right now is that out of our current batch of statewide candidates, Deeds is the best choice to run for governor in 2009.
Legacy building. Empire Building. Successor planning. I don’t see the Democrats do this, at any level, and it is a huge part of how we fail. I’d like to hope Deeds is an exception to that trend.
Legacy building. Empire Building. Successor planning. I don’t see the Democrats do this, at any level, and it is a huge part of how we fail.
I couldn’t agree more, Shaula. Democrats in office tend to view other Democrats looking at entering public life as competition, rather than as potential help. So we do terribly at planning to grow the party, increasing our power, and bridging generations. We’re seeing this awkward gap right now in Charlottesville — Mitch Van Yahres has been in the House for 24 years, and so we’ve lost any mechanisms to determine how to elevate local talent to a state level. I hope that this election becomes a chance to reinstate that process, and start growing our own talent for the good of Virginia.
BTW, UVA Law Dems have announced tha Creigh’s Cville kickoff will be at the law school.
Tuesday the 29th at 11:45.
I had the pleasure of meeting Creigh Deeds back in 2001. For a brief period of roughly a month he was my House Delegate. He was honest and open with me, and I felt very comfortable talking with him on a one on one basis. Creigh Deeds has the time of day for you, something that a lot of other politicians do not (always hurrying to get the next handshake).
I totally agree about Creigh Deeds being one of our strongest shots for a statewide seat this year. I don’t think that Kaine is any slouch, but if we only win one race, it may be the AG race (which we haven’t won since 1989!).
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