Christina Nuckols reminded Democrats in her most recent column about State Sen. Ken Stolle’s infamous ad mere days before the GOP primary twelve years ago – an ad that likely cost him and Gil Davis a political future in statewide office.
She uses that example as s case study in going “nuclear” during a campaign. She’s hoping to remind (warn?) Democrats of the consequences of such a strategy as their gubernatorial candidates begin to duke it out in the last few weeks of their primary campaign.
One has to wonder though, were the primaries between Jim Webb and Harris Miller, or Viola Baskerville, Chap Petersen, and Leslie Byrne or Tim Kaine, Jerruld Jones and Alan Diamonstein all sweetness and light; rainbows and puppies?
Were there no lessons learned Nuckols could draw upon, if perhaps even a positive one, for Democrats?
Instead, it appears that Nuckols can’t help but use the opportunity to take a swipe at Republicans over issues that happened years ago.
But Nuckols is only following the lead given to her by the GOP.
Republicans have given ample examples of their inability to work as a coalition from “eliminating the car tax” to “steady streams of revenue” to “unelected regional governments” to “selected not elected.”
Every year Republicans show themselves to be content being divided instead of united; of shooting inward for the sake of sport.
No, Nuckols need not warn Democrats. Dems bicker and argue in their nomination battles, but always seem to come together against their common adversary.
On the other hand, the GOP is in the habit of finding new and innovative ways of alienating its coalitions – whether its through fiscal or social policy or just how it conducts its party business – the GOP will find a way to tear itself apart without the need for negative personal attacks this year.
So, really, Nuckols doesn’t have to warn Democrats of the dangers of going nuclear on one another…after all, they’ll recover and Republicans will do just fine of going nuclear on themselves.
But thanks for the reminder, Christina. There’s nothing better than opening an old scab and poking it.
In next week’s column: Ollie North v. Marshall Coleman.
