The President gives Tom Perriello a helping hand for 2013
By Norman Leahy | Tuesday, October 11th, 2011 | Politics, VirginiaThe RTD’s Olympia Meola reports that former Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello’s one-time chief of staff and campaign manager will be overseeing the President’s re-elect effort in Virginia.
On the surface, this makes good sense: put someone in place who understands and has worked closely with the progressive base and hope it translates into the base showing up (in droves) on election day.
There are a few other things to consider, too. Recall that Rep. Perriello was one of the few individual congressmen to get a campaign visit from the President back in 2010. Recall also that after Perriello was defeated, the drums began beating for him to become a statewide Democratic standard bearer. The Tom for Senate boomlet faded in Tim Kaine’s shadow, but Perriello has signed at least one email fundraising piece for Tim Kaine (that I’m aware of) and he has campaigned for the former DNC chairman in the state. This exposure will be of some help to the former congressman — should he decide his talents are better suited to a 2013 run. If that happens, look for Kaine’s lists to become Perriello’s.
And having his former staffer run the President’s statewide effort? It’s excellent training for 2013, even if the President fails to win Virginia again in 2012.
If I’m “pro-life,” pro-gun, anti-cap and trade, I’m not like the President, Ward Armstrong, such moves don’t buoy my statewide ambitions.
Then again, Republican Del. Charles Poindexter will likely dash Ward’s long hopes before Perriello does.
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About the author
Norm Leahy has written about Virginia and national politics online since 2002, beginning with One Man's Trash (OMT), and continuing through Bacon's Rebellion (both the blog and the e-zine), Sic Semper Tyrannis, NBC12's Decision Virginia, Richmond.com and Tertium Quids. He is the chief blogger at "The Score" and a producer of "The Score" radio show as well as being a Washington Post contributor.
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6 Responses to "The President gives Tom Perriello a helping hand for 2013"
I’ve long been beating the drum on Tom Perriello’s unique brand of Democrat — pro-life (at least, moreso than his political party), pro-2nd Amendment, “radical centrist” and beyond this — eminently Catholic brand of Democratic politics.
If there is a salve to bring back Christian Democrats into the Democratic Party, Perriello’s brand (linked perhaps to Mark Warner’s brand of pro-business moderation) will be the one to do it.
Republicans underestimate Perriello and the movement he is building at their own peril.
Shaun you are 100% right.I have been saying Perriello should be taken very serious for a very long time.
Perriello was swept in during a liberal movement, he was swept out during a conservative movement.
If he is ever elected on his own merits, he will be a very strong politician.
Being obama’s lackey is certainly the path to Perriello standing on his own. Of course Mark Warner may be wise to prefer the public back of the hand from Obama. The great thing about being a “centrist” democrat is that you can be a radical leftist while no one’s looking. Just ask Mark Warner. Or perhaps we should just say there are no more centrist or moderate democrats. Just ones who have been trained to sound like it by their ventriloquist.
1st: I agree that Perriello is not to be underestimated.
2d: He is a radical. Not a radical centrist.
When was the last time a pro-life Dem spoke at a Democratic National Convention? Abortion is the sacrament of the Democratic party and woe to anyone who goes against it.
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