Peter’s Take is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.
In a May column written immediately after Virginia Republicans nominated their extreme statewide ticket, I predicted that ticket would be a turnoff for many Arlington Republicans. Prior to the federal government shutdown, this GOP extreme team more than fulfilled my predictions.
The Arlington GOP was unable to recruit anyone to run alongside the extreme team for any other elected position on the Nov. 5 Arlington ballot: no state Delegate candidates, no County Board candidate, and no School Board candidate. All of that was before the national GOP engineered the government shutdown.
By overwhelming margins in two recent independent polls, the public has assigned primary blame for the shutdown to the national GOP — not to President Obama or national Democrats. This common-sense conclusion is very likely shared by even more lopsided margins in Arlington — and not just because Democrats in Arlington have won recent general elections with roughly two thirds of the vote.
Compared to those polled nationally about the shutdown, Arlington has a much higher number of voters in private sector jobs that depend—directly or indirectly—on the federal government. Many Republicans hold those Arlington private sector jobs. A lot of those Republicans have lost money or been furloughed because of the loss of federal contract revenue attributable to the shutdown.
If the Republican candidate for Virginia governor had been a moderate with a long record as a problem-solver and bi-partisan consensus-builder, he credibly could have distanced himself from the GOP-led shutdown disaster. He could have minimized the damage to his candidacy in our community. Alas for Arlington Republicans, that is not the case.
With less than three weeks to go before Election Day, Arlington Republicans instead find themselves saddled with Ken Cuccinelli at the top of their ticket. He is a candidate who has embraced for years the most extreme faction of the Republican Party that:
- engineered the federal government shutdown, and
- remains defiant and proud about that “accomplishment.”
On Election Day this year, the effects of the shutdown still will be quite fresh in the minds of Arlington voters. While Ken Cuccinelli has preached the gospel of job creation, he has practiced the politics of job destruction.
All three extreme GOP statewide candidates — Cuccinelli, Jackson, and Obenshain — will suffer at the polls because of the Cruzification strategy pursued by their national Republican leaders.
Peter Rousselot is a former member of the Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Virginia and former chair of the Arlington County Democratic Committee.
Recent Stories
Good Monday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar. 🕗 News recap The following articles were published earlier today…
An 18-year-old Arlington woman is facing a litany of charges after an reported bike theft led to violence. The incident happened Sunday evening near the intersection of S. Walter Reed…
What do I do if school doesn’t fit my kid? That’s the question that so many of the parents and families ask when they’re looking at small independent schools like…
There is a new play area for kids inside Ballston Quarter with plenty of pint-sized attractions. Located on the first floor of the mall, near the about-to-close Macy’s, Junior Playland…
Well-Paid Maids recently unveiled a new scheduling system.
That means it’s easier than ever to book your professional home cleaning with the only certified living-wage home cleaning service in the D.C. area.
Here’s what to expect when you book your cleaning:
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Select your location.
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Choose your service (i.e. 1 BD/1BA). (This is also where you’ll see the rate.)
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Pick your cleaner. (If you don’t have a preference, opt for “any available.”)
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Schedule a date and time. You can also set up recurring cleanings and get a discount!
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Enter your information and reserve.
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Portofino Italian Wine Dinner, April 6, 6:30pm
Four course Italian dinner, paired with 2 wines each. The wines will be served “blind” and notes on each wine will be discussed. The event is coordinated with Elite Wine Importers and The Portofino Restaurant. The dinner is on Saturday,
Live Comedy Showcase Starring Winston Hodges
Friday, April 19
8pm (Doors open at 7)
Crystal City Sports Pub – 3rd Floor Lounge
Arlington, VA