We already know that Mitt Romney won former Sen. Phil Puckett’s district with 67% of the vote and Ken Cuccinelli brought in 64%. We also know that Puckett, who ran unopposed for years, was facing a potential $1+ million campaign to maintain his seat in 2015 (after all, he spent $1.4 million in 2011 and only won by 3,000 votes).
Thus, the trend in the 38th has been Republican. So, this means Republicans have this locked-up, right?
No way. And the GOP is leaving nothing to chance. They want the Senate to be 21-19 in their favor and will do what it takes to win that seat.
The Republican Party of Virginia released this morning this fundraising appeal from Chairman Pat Mullins:
Friends,
It takes a lot to surprise me, but Democrat Sen. Phil Puckett’s resignation yesterday did just that.
Senator Puckett’s resignation gives us the chance to turn a 20-20 Democrat controlled Senate to a 21-19 Republican controlled Senate!Map
But we have to build the infrastructure for victory, and we have to do it FAST.
We have to be ready to back our Republican nominee immediately. Your contribution of $75, $50, $25 or even $15 will help us contact Republican voters and get them to the polls for the Special Election.
We can end this budget hostage crisis once and for all — and make sure our teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other first responders keep getting paid and aren’t used as hostages for Obamacare again — with a win.
But we need all hands on deck. Can I count on your help?
Thanks,
PatPat Mullins, Chairman
Republican Party of Virginia
That’s moving fast. While the Democrats are busy impugning the character of one of their former lions and alleging a bogeyman behind every dark corner, the state Republican party is doing what we’ve asked them to do: win elections.
Update: shortly after running this post, a fundraising email from the Democratic Party of Virginia landed in my inbox. I’ll spare you the details other than to say they quoted Salon, Vox, and Huffington Post alleging improprieties – despite their own Attorney General saying nothing improper happened and no investigation would be conducted.
The email kicks off with “You won’t believe what happened over the weekend. Senator Tommy Norment and his GOP cronies cut a shady back room deal to continue their war against expanding Medicaid for 400,000 working Virginians.”
War on women…war against expanding Medicaid…etc. How original!
In other words, DPVA has chosen to propagate a lie for their fundraising efforts. And, have no problem kicking a 16 year incumbent of their own party. Quite telling.
