Mark Herring make a decision today on what kind of campaign he’s going to run and what kind of candidate he’s going to be.
Negative. All negative.
That’s a generous way to describe Herring’s embarrassment of a performance today in the first general debate between the two attorney general candidates, Herring and Senator Mark Obenshain.
The two candidates posed together for pictures and we were seen talking amicably as the moderator introduced herself and talked about the rules. Obenshain had said repeatedly this week that he looked forward to a civil discussion over the next few months.
Mark Herring took seconds to throw that notion out of the window.
A sitting Senator who’s reputation in Richmond is that he has no reputation because he hasn’t really done anything noteworthy, Herring launched a broadside on the most important issues facing Virginians today in his opening statement against Obenshain. (Quotes from the debate found here)
Abortion.
“Mark Obenshain stands for the prism of radical extremism.”
Gay rights.
“…I don’t believe the state should decide who you can love and marry. I support same sex marriage.”
Guns.
“We need to do what we can to reduce gun violence in Virginia.”
Obenshain’s primary talking point?
“I want to make sure we have safe communities, that Virginia continues to be a job creation engine and one of the best places in the country for businesses to strive,” Obenshain said.
“I will fight to make sure that we fight gang violence in communities and schools, and fight human trafficking, which is the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world,” he said.
(by the way, in the most recent Washington Post poll, the following issues were rated most important by Virginia voters: Economy/Jobs 46%; Education 6%; Taxes 4%; Ethics 3%; Transportation 2%; Guns 2%; no other issue was more than 2%. Most recent Quinnapac? 37% Economy/Jobs; 19% Education; 15% Taxes; 12% State Budget)
As you can see for the chasm of differences in what issues are important to the candidates above, it is going to be a looooooooooooooooooong four and a half months for Democrats if this is the focus on the campaign. Based on the debate today, Herring would be lucky to hit what Steve Shannon hit in 2009 in Cuccinelli’s 17 point blowout. This is going to get all kind of ugly for Democrats if Herring is going to run on abortion and guns while picking and choosing which laws he likes and doesn’t like.
Now, Mark Herring may not have an understanding on what exactly the Attorney General is responsible for. I have to hope he’d have at least reviewed a job description or have some idea on what the Attorney General does. Let’s review real quick what it does not do.
Create legislation out of the Attorney General’s office.
Unfortunately for Herring, marriage is defined in the Virginia Constitution as between a man and a woman, an amendment that Herring himself voted for, but has conveniently changed that position in order to contrast himself with Obenshain. However, as a part of the Virginia Constitution, Herring, in the very far fetched idea that he somehow wins, would be required to DEFEND marriage as between a man and a woman. He claims that he now does not believe this. So either Herring will pick and choose which legislation he defends, ala the Justice Department, or he’s a moron campaigning against something he’ll have to defend. Either way, Virginians lose.
Pick and choose which legislation to defend and not.
See above.
Herring’s lack of understanding for what the job will require was so embarrassing Obenshain had to remind the audience exactly what the AG’s office is required to do. This quote from Obenshain came after Herring attacked the Photo ID legislation, popular with 75% of Virginians, but not Mark Herring:
“One of the jobs of attorney general is not to be a lawmaker, but to set aside disagreements and defend Virginia statute…”
So if the ACLU sues Virginia about the Photo ID law, as they’re sure to do, Herring is required by the duties of the office to DEFEND that law. Same with gay marriage, same with gun rights.
Define priorities for the General Assembly.
As we’ve seen over the past six years, Herring is pretty unfamiliar with the legislative process in Richmond. He doesn’t do much, doesn’t say much, doesn’t contribute to debate, just kind of sits on the sidelines. Herring is deciding to campaign on abortion, gay rights, and guns, making those the priority of his candidacy. Unfortunately for Herring, the General Assembly will take none of those issues up in Richmond in his favor; not with a super-majority in the House of Delegates and a 20/20 split in the State Senate. Herring is chasing a red herring so to speak.
Herring repeatedly attacked Attorney General Cuccinelli for his role of bringing ‘politics’ into the AG’s office*, so much so that Obenshain called Herring out for not understanding who his opponent is.
*take a moment and enjoy the irony of a man campaigning against ‘politics’ in the AG’s office running on a platform that ignores or goes against numerous Virginia laws (gay marriage, guns, abortion, photo ID, etc); it’s hilarious.
Herring is insisting on running against AG Cuccinelli (a man with a +18% performance rating by Virginians in March 2013) while Obenshain insists on running his own race, being his own man, and his own candidate. Herring was desperate in trying to tie Obenshain to EW Jackson’s past remarks as well as Cuccinelli’s past controversies. It got so bad for Herring that Obenshain suggested that perhaps Herring should debate Cuccinelli.
The distinction is clear.
Mark Obenshain is running a campaign on issues important to Virginians.
Mark Herring is running like with a vendetta on issues that don’t even register with more than 2% of Virginians.
Obenshain only has to keep his nose clean and this race is over; if Herring is this desperate four days after winning the nomination, he knows it’s a long, long, long, long way uphill. It will take a minor miracle for Mark Obenshain to not be the next in a long line of Republican Attorney Generals.
