Leahy: Dazed and confused in Capitol Square

[Editor’s note: This offers good analysis of the playing field during the 2018 General Assembly session even thought it was written before the State Board of Elections certified election results on Monday.]

It’s not over yet, Virginia.

With the State Board of Elections deciding not to certify the results in two close House of Delegates races just yet, which party will control the General Assembly come January is still unknown.

Republicans are putting a brave face on the situation. In the days immediately following the election, the press shop of Del. M. Kirkland Cox (R-Colonial Heights) — sorry, “speaker designee” Kirk Cox — insisted it had scraped by with just enough votes to give it control of the House.

They since have gone further, choosing a majority leader, conference chairman and majority whip.

In accepting the nomination to be speaker, Cox said he looks forward “to continuing to uphold the longstanding traditions of civility and decorum” in the House.

Events since then have shown all of these pronouncements have a certain Kevin Bacon in Animal House quality to it.

There’s a fair chance the House will be split 50-50. If so, who gets to claim the title of speaker?

Some wags have floated the idea of choosing a non-House member to take up the gavel. One name suggested? Former governor Doug Wilder (D).

Wilder was a state senator before moving to statewide office. He’s also shrewd and charming, and he knows the ropes and all the players. Plus, he’s a bona fide budget hawk.

On second thought, he might be too good for the House.

But the worthies who will be on hand are already filing their bills and making their priorities known.

Republicans are out of the gate thinking small.

The top three bills, dubbed “practical solutions to everyday problems,” tackle such burning issues as access to student data and records, teacher license reciprocity and quality issues with student transfer credits.

We can only assume that Republican gubernatorial nominee Ed Gillespie’s big binder of policy ideas that included a tax cut were casualties of the Election Day Massacre.

Hint to the GOP: The statewide wins of yesteryear that hastened the growth of your legislative majorities were built on big ideas. Playing small ball is not the way to make a comeback.

Continue reading here.

Related: State Board of Elections Certifies Controversial 28th HOD Results, Recounts May Be Next