# McAuliffe Virginia's new Governor **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 6, 2013, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216 "2013-11-06T04:06:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/41 "2013-11-06T19:16:39Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > They almost won after getting massively outspent, of course it won’t. They will just claim with a little more establishment support Cuccinelli would have won, and they might actually be right. Both candidates were horrible, there really isn’t much to say about this race. I think it’s a pretty clear indictment of our two-party system when it gives you a choice between a crazed wingnut and a corrupt stuffed shirt. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/42 "2013-11-06T19:19:20Z")
I’d call it an indictment of \*Virginia \*that those two are their best and brightest. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/43 "2013-11-06T19:19:52Z")
> [@A\_nice\_guy\_with\_an\_opinion](#): > > Terry’s first act as Gov should be to propose the state’s name be changed to Vagina. > > Wtg, womenz. Stupid women, always henpecking the men who’ve spent all day crafting laws for them. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/44 "2013-11-06T19:36:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Damuri Ajashi** : > > Sure Bolling might have beaten Cuccinelli but the Republicans recognize that they have a shrinking base so they need higher turnout (or disnefranchise the other side’s base) and the way to do that is to go tea party. Now, see, the rational response to seeing that you have a shrinking base is to try to expand the base. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/45 "2013-11-06T19:40:25Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Now, see, the rational response to seeing that you have a shrinking base is to try to expand the base. That word “rational” is the problem. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/46 "2013-11-06T19:43:51Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > I’d call it an indictment of \*Virginia \*that those two are their best and brightest. From the state that produced Washington, Jefferson, and Madison, yet . . . ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/47 "2013-11-06T19:52:19Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Isn’t that the same gerrymandering issue we saw in a bunch of states in 2012, or is there a different reason in Virginia? I’m sure there’s some of that, but there were also 14 races decided by \<10%. The GOP won 12 of those. So the Dems could have done 5 seats better by simply splitting the close races. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/48 "2013-11-06T19:56:14Z")
That doesn’t really address why Republicans did so well at that level, though. The Republicans basically kept the same lead in the House of Delegates that they already had, which makes me think they held onto districts they would have been expected to keep. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/49 "2013-11-06T20:07:30Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I think it’s simply because NoVa is blue, and very populous, while the rest of the state is red. Richmond and Hampton Roads area are pretty blue too. But yes, the rest of the state is darn conservative. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/50 "2013-11-06T20:09:20Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I’m sure there’s some of that, but there were also 14 races decided by \<10%. The GOP won 12 of those. So the Dems could have done 5 seats better by simply splitting the close races. That is possible evidence of gerrymandering. The best gerrymandering tactic is to split the state in a lot of districts that your party wins by small amounts, while putting your opponent into fewer districts that he wins by big margins. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/51 "2013-11-06T21:02:29Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > That is possible evidence of gerrymandering. The best gerrymandering tactic is to split the state in a lot of districts that your party wins by small amounts, while putting your opponent into fewer districts that he wins by big margins. Of course, as has recently been pointed out several times in this forum, that strategy can backfire when – as now – the GOP party-brand is so damaged as to alienate swing voters and thereby put even the gerrymandered districts in play. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/52 "2013-11-06T21:07:25Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > So far I think I’m five-for-five with “no.” I’m going to let it ride. I wish I were as sanguine as you. I think between losing Virginia to an awful candidate, Christie dominating in New Jersey (the numbers I heard last night had him _winning_ among both women and Latinos), and the polling data around the shutdown that we may see a resurgence of the Republican Sanity Caucus in time for the 2016 elections. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/53 "2013-11-06T21:11:56Z")
I’ll believe it when I see it. Christie is a moderate Republican in a blue state and he has the extra benefit of his response to Sandy. More conservative Republicans and Republicans in more conservative states absolutely don’t think they need to move to the center. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/54 "2013-11-06T21:12:44Z")
Virginia is also an odd case because the Democrats are mostly concentrated in the heavily populated Northern counties. The rural areas are Republican. So there is a majority of Democrats in the Commonwealth, but it’s easy for Republicans to take the House as they control so much more of the land mass. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/55 "2013-11-06T21:54:54Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’ll believe it when I see it. Christie is a moderate Republican in a blue state and he has the extra benefit of his response to Sandy. More conservative Republicans and Republicans in more conservative states absolutely don’t think they need to move to the center. I think it’s potentially win-win for the Democrats… if it’s Cruz/Paul, easy win for the Dems, and if it’s Christie, potentially rage-induced third-party candidate from the Tea Party. They really don’t like Christie, and his nomination might (cross your fingers!) be the straw that broke the camel’s back. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/56 "2013-11-06T22:47:23Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Will this be enough to wake the Republicans up? McAuliffe is a pretty unlikeable guy and not even a mediocre candidate. One would think that would tell the GOP that Teabaggers are an electoral carcinogen. Had they run someone with any degree of moderation, they could probably have kept the governor’s seat. I generally don’t like the concept of term limits and the Virginia Governorship is an example of why, while we’ve had some good governors in recent years I feel in part the reason we were dealing with a crazy GOP candidate and a Democrat who most likely is a corrupt inept political hack is that because the Virginia Governor is term limited to one term it doesn’t attract the same quality of candidate that the office does in other States. In many States the Governor’s mansion is either the capstone of a long career in State government or the springboard for a Senatorial type, but in Virginia it seems more like a place the political dregs occupy. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/57 "2013-11-06T23:05:14Z")
Terry McAuliffe was clearly inspired to re-enter politics by my cheerleading in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=671404) (no need to thank me) ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/58 "2013-11-07T16:05:13Z")
> [@bup](#): > > I’m disappointed McAuliffe won. > > On the other hand, I’m thrilled Cuccinelli lost. Well said. I voted for Sarvis because the polls were calling it as an easy win for McAuliffe. If it had been close I would have held my nose and voted for McAuliffe as the least distasteful of the front runners. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/59 "2013-11-07T16:59:26Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > I generally don’t like the concept of term limits and the Virginia Governorship is an example of why, while we’ve had some good governors in recent years I feel in part the reason we were dealing with a crazy GOP candidate and a Democrat who most likely is a corrupt inept political hack is that because the Virginia Governor is term limited to one term it doesn’t attract the same quality of candidate that the office does in other States. > > In many States the Governor’s mansion is either the capstone of a long career in State government or the springboard for a Senatorial type, but in Virginia it seems more like a place the political dregs occupy. Of course, with your current governor you’d probably soon be dealing with an indicted governor. I agree, though, that the VA Gov is a good counterpoint when the discussion turns to term limits. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2013, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216/60 "2013-11-07T17:09:14Z")
I think it was just an off year, and Cuccinelli’s shifting the Republicans away from a primary to a convention allowed someone who was a bit more extreme to take the Republican nomination. I think that the Democrats didn’t really have anyone willing to run because they didn’t think they had a shot. Quite a few Virginia governors have gone on to the Senate. We had Chuck Robb, Mark Warner, George Allen, and Tim Kaine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcauliffe-virginias-new-governor/673216.md?page=4)