Can't beat Cuccinelli

Watching the reaction of Democrats to the nomination of E.W. Jackson as Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor, they must realize they have no chance in November.
Blue Virginia runs a lengthy piece on how Republicans could get Jackson off the ticket. All suggestions that would divide the party, increase friction between the grassroots and establishment, and mostly make the Cuccinelli team look bad.
Jackson grabbed the convention spotlight and rode it to a surprising victory. He's the man, and no amount of whining can change that.
If you like Cuccinelli, you like his standing for his beliefs - no matter what criticism he gets.
He probably remembers all the criticism from the summer of 2009, when his nomination was assumed to doom the Republican ticket.
The Republican ticket has toured the state.
The Democrats' only hope in November is to break up the team. Don't fall for it.

Speaking of crazy

NRO has an eye on crazy past statements by Terry McAuliffe.
There's going to be plenty of talk about this campaign season.

Can the consultants earn their pay?

Joe Thomas enjoyed Saturday's Republican convention - maybe too much.
E.W. Jackson leading wire-to-wire will be making consultant earn their pay now until November.
That excitement started when the afore-mentioned consultants started to exert their efforts to wrest back the ticket into their paradigm of predictability. It started as an “anyone-but-Jackson” vibe vibrating through the campaign HQ’s in the Coliseum’s luxury boxes. (Note to future convention holders, grass roots activists are very sensitive about things like this.)
The people have spoken. Republicans won with Cuccinelli in 2009, and can do it again in 2013.

Inside the poll numbers

Are you a Democrat excited about the latest poll?
Look inside the numbers, dude.
To have McAuliffe up by five points, the poll used an electorate of 35 percent Democrats, 25 percent Republicans and 31 percent Independents.
Democrats plus 10 in the poll.
What about the recent Washington Post poll that showed Cuccinelli ahead?
Republicans 26, Democrats 28, Independents 35.
More Democrats in a poll and McAuliffe's numbers go up.
If you're surprised, you like stopping by fundraisers on the way home from the hospital.

Vainglorious outlander

The Hook puts another "McAuliffe in trouble" story on the cover.
Indeed, McAuliffe carries some heavy baggage. Quentin Kidd, professor of political science at Christopher Newport University, says the biggest challenge for McAuliffe is shedding his persona as an "inside Washington kind of partisan." In Virginia, both parties have succeeded when running moderate gubernatorial candidates long on business experience. McAuliffe no doubt is attempting to recast his image in this regard, but Cuccinelli is already working overtime to undercut this advantage by hammering him hard, and early, on GreenTech.
Do you trust this man with your government?

Trouble for Terry

Has Terry McAuliffe conceded yet?
The media seems ready to do it for him.
“So far, the answer to ‘How does he handle these questions?’ is ‘Not well,’” says the strategist with a sigh, and notes, “There are a lot of Democrats in the state that are getting incredibly nervous about how Terry McAuliffe is allowing himself to be turned into Mitt Romney.”
Maybe they should have read his book in 2009.

Terry the truther

NRO's Jim Geraghty has been reading Terry McAuliffe's book.
He didn't have to go far to find a surprise - pages 35-36.
Terry McAuliffe strongly believes that Ronald Reagan’s campaign conspired with the Iranian ayatollahs to prevent the release of the hostages in 1980.

Cuccinelli plus 10

The Washington Post has a poll on the upcoming gubernatorial race - not good news for Democrats.
While the overall lead for Ken Cuccinelli is five points, among likely voters it's 10 (51 to 41).
How do things compare with 2009?
Republicans won those matchups, before the Democratic nominee was decided.
We all know how that turned out.
Democrats should be worried. They think Cuccinelli is struggling now, and it's still ahead.