Virginia Tomorrow

1. McDonnell and the Challenges of Pragmatic Conservatism

During the campaign, Bob McDonnell embraced a pragmatic conservatism, suggesting that a conservative approach to government was best suited to resolving Virginia current economic problems and addressing long-term intractable problems such as transportation and funding for higher ed. The success of the approach is dependent on convincing activists that his pragmatism is sufficiently conservative (Norm Leahy at Tertium Quids is already raising some concerns in this regard) and persuading pragmatists that his conservatism is genuinely solution-oriented. McDonnell also takes office at a time where the public seems to have abruptly shortened the honeymoon period that elected leaders were previously accorded.

2. Democrats Exhale

Whew! The sigh of relief you’re hearing is from the Virginia Democrats who managed to take Ken Cuccinelli’s Senate seat when Dave Marsden defeated Steve Hunt in Fairfax County this week. The victory ensured that the Democrats would retain control of the Senate and wouldn’t have to worry about the McDonnell administration shifting the partisan calculus by enticing a single member to take a full-time position in the administration.

3. Democrats Won’t Retreat on Sledd

Bob Sledd is a good man and he should be a fine Commerce Secretary. But if does not give up his seat on a number of corporate boards, the Democrats are prepared to make him the poster boy for their ethics initiative in this year’s legislative session. Janet Howell says that she has the votes to prevent his confirmation and there seems to be no reason to think that the Democrats will back away. It could well be a major media story for the first two weeks of the session.

4. Kaine v. Cuccinelli 

Tim Kaine’s announcement on his last day as Governor that he was requesting that the Justice Department transfer convicted murderer Jens Soering to Germany where he would be eligible for parole in two years was an absolute bombshell.  It didn’t take Ken Cuccinelli much time to denounce the request. Giver the outgoing Governor’s role as chair of the DNC, I’d be very surprised if the national GOP doesn’t join Cuccinelli in drawing attention to Kaine’s initiative. 

5. Cantor Supports Hurt,  Some Tea Party Folks Talk Drafting Goode 

House Republican Whip Eric Cantor is using his considerable influence to support Robert Hurt’s candidacy in the 5^th district GOP primary. There is no doubt that the resources Cantor can tap will be helpful to Hurt as he runs in a district larger than some small states. But Cantor’s decision is angering some grassroots activists and tea party supporters who are arguing that Hurt’s decision to support the Warner tax increases in 2004 make him unacceptable to true conservatives. Among the tea party activists, a “Draft Goode” movement is developing as a possible means of coalescing behind a single opponent for Hurt.

6. Herrity Enters 11th District Race, Griffith Contemplates A Run in the 9th 

Pat Herrity, a narrow loser to Sharon Bulova in the race for Chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors earlier this year, has decided to enter the race to obtain the GOP nod to run for Gerry Connolly’s congressional seat. And House Majority Leader is contemplating running against Rick Boucher. With GOP polls continuing to show popular discontent with a Democratic Congress, Republicans are increasingly looking at 2010 as a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”

 7. Deal or No Deal? 

That’s the latest question about VITA and Northrop Grumman. George Coulter, VITA’s CIO, outlined a potential deal this week that might actually cost the state up to $10 million more. It received a chilly reception from legislators and hardly any comment at all from the incoming administration. The bottom line is that there won’t be any deal that isn’t signed off by Bob McDonnell and key legislative leaders.