Without Democratic opposition local Republican Congressman Morgan Griffith (9th district) and Bob Goodlatte (6th) cruised to easy victories on election night. Come January they will also be part of a GOP majority in both Houses of Congress – as Republicans shellacked their Democratic counterparts in races for the U.S. Senate all across the country. Many political pundits viewed the election results as more of a referendum on the unpopular policies of President Obama, rather than on new ideas put forth by the GOP.
In any case the President will have to work with both chambers now controlled by the opposition party. It’s worked well in the not-so-distant past: many felt President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, might have done his best work when the Republicans retook both houses of Congress in the mid-90’s. One race on election day that wasn’t expected to be that close – despite tightening polls as the day drew near – was the seat held in Virginia by Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Warner.
Yet through much of the night it was Republican challenger Ed Gillespie who held the lead and at press time Warner held a 17,000-vote edge. That was enough to claim victory said Warner. Gillespie did not concede on election night and a recount could be in the offing if its close enough after all of the provisional votes and absentee ballots are reported.
Both Gillespie and Warner spent part of their last full day of campaigning in the valley on Monday. Gillespie met supporters at his local campaign office in Roanoke County; Warner made a stop in downtown Roanoke with fellow Democratic Senator Tim Kaine. The two are also longtime friends that first met at Harvard Law School. Both served as Virginia governors before being elected to the U.S. Senate. Warner and Kaine were a bit late to the rally at old Fire Station #1 on Church Avenue – after stopping off at Mill Mountain Coffee downtown for some java and glad-handing.
“You can really feel it out there – this race is breaking our way,” said Gillespie after he rallied the troops. Whether that rally puts him over the top after a possible recount was still to be decided. “What we’re seeing here today we’ve seen all across the Commonwealth. We’ve got a great ground game.” Gillespie said his “positive agenda for economic growth” was striking a chord with people.
Despite recent trends that seemed to show the economy was moving in the right direction – unemployment was down for starters, job creation had picked up – many surveys nationwide revealed that the average American just wasn’t feeling as positive about the economy, that they were still being pinched in the pocketbook. That spelled trouble for Democratic Congressional candidates and those running for Governor – even for many incumbents. “It’s the economy, stupid,” as the Clinton era campaign rallying cry used to go.
Gillespie said he was relying on big margins and large turnouts to put him over the top. “People are seeing the clear choice now. Mark Warner is not the Senator he claimed to be. I know his record better than he does. He’s trying to run away from it.” It appears Gillespie may have fallen just a little short. Republican control of the Senate “would make a big difference,” said Gillespie. “We can hold the President accountable. I think that’s important.”
Warner, who talked all through the campaign about how he can work with Republicans in the Senate, seemed to be preparing for Tuesday’s eventual outcome as he spoke after the Fire Station rally: “Regardless of who wins control of the Senate its got to be better functioning. I think those of us who are going to be in the middle … will have a lot more to say.” It appears that by a nose Mark Warner may remain one of those senators in the middle.
By Gene Marrano
