The pipeline isn’t going to sink Northam’s campaign!
The pipeline isn’t going to sink Northam’s campaign!
The pipeline isn’t going to sink Northam’s campaign!
…until it does.
After months of circling the drain, it is now becoming apparent that antagonism and flippant arrogance of Ralph Northam towards the progressive base on issues such as the Atlantic Coast Pipeline is starting to chafe — and most especially with the folks over at Blue Virginia:
Ralph Northam, Pipelines, and the “Grotesque”: Reply to Critics
Ouch.
For all the protestations of those huddled around the Northam campaign, one fact is becoming very clear — progressive Democrats are tired of being disrespected by a Northam campaign that can’t seem to find its footing, can’t raise money, can’t engage in a meaningful contest of ideas, and frankly doesn’t have a reason to be running for governor of Virginia.
This matters on a number of fronts, and not just for throwing rhetorical grenades into the enemy camp. Democrats in Virginia have at the very least run on one or two ideas in the past — ideas which we here on the political right may disagree with from time to time, but at the very least they were ideas.
Northam just isn’t giving anyone any ideas beyond opposing what Gillespie is doing.
What is Gillespie doing? Education reform. Anti-gang violence initiatives. Meaningful tax reform. The ideas factory with the Republicans is only picking up steam as the downticket races and the House Republicans are quietly chugging along.
Meanwhile, House Democrats can’t even get their challengers to stay in the race. Northam’s fundraising is so poor at the moment that donors are betting on the GOP to stick around. Whispers of a Republican sweep — while whispers — are being mentioned in hushed tones as Northam fails to lead his ticket and continues to fight a rearguard action against those who ought to be his most vocal supporters.
When you’re fighting against your own, you’re losing. Northam at the moment is clearly losing the battle for hearts and minds within his own party… never mind the hearts and minds of independent voters who determine elections.
