Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Virginia may get primary action
Shanna Flowers
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If Virginians are feeling a bit left out of today's Super Tuesday frenzy, don't.
Depending on how things shake out in the political free-for-all playing out today in 24 states and American Samoa, Virginia's Feb. 12 Democratic and Republican primaries could be much more than a footnote.
For evidence that candidates already are looking toward Virginia, look no further than Southwest Virginia's Pulaski County.
Over the weekend, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton sent dueling statements expressing support for striking United Auto Workers union walking the picket line in Dublin.
It should be noted that Obama's support for the union and its Virginia voters arrived two days earlier than Clinton's, which arrived in my e-mail box Monday morning.
Later Monday, Clinton's campaign announced she'd be campaigning in Northern Virginia on Wednesday -- the time and place to be determined.
It would be the first Virginia appearance for either Democratic candidate since the primary season kicked off.
Like the quiet guy who has caught the eye of the cheerleading captain, the sudden attention is flattering for Virginia.
In years past, the presidential nominations generally have been in the bag before Virginia's primary, University of Virginia political expert Larry Sabato said.
In 2000, Bush essentially had the momentum he needed to lock up the nomination before Virginia voted. Virginia "was the period on Bush's nomination," Sabato said.
This year, he added, with some of the GOP primaries being winner-take-all (Virginia's, by the way, is among them), Sen. John McCain very well could be in the catbird seat after today.
But Virginia's Democratic delegates will be awarded proportionately according to the popular vote for each candidate.
And the give-and-take, back-and-forth, up-and-down duel of Clinton and Obama could make Virginia pivotal in the Democratic fight for the White House, Sabato said. Clinton is ahead in some states, and Obama in others.
"As long as there's a reasonable split [today], then Virginia could play a big role in the contest," Sabato said.
Beyond talking to experts such as Sabato, don't look here for deep political analysis here. I just vote.
And this year, exercising my civic duty will be more fun than ever because this year's presidential races are wide open. After the past eight years, "change" is the buzzword, and voters and candidates alike across the political spectrum are using it.
A palpable energy surrounds the presidential race this year.
That was evident last week at an Obama rally at The Venue restaurant in Northwest Roanoke.
"This is so much like JFK," gushed Mike Carr of Smith Mountain Lake. He was in high school when President Kennedy won election in 1960.
"After what we've been through as a country, we need to have someone who is very forward-looking, who not only thinks about America but America's role in the world," Carr added.
"We think he's the right man for the moment," chimed in his wife, Pat Carr.
Several black women I spoke with at the rally said they have not felt the conflict of deciding between race and gender in the race. They said they thought that dilemma was more of a media creation than reality.
"That's not my issue," said Sterling Bond, a nurse. "I've been listening, and I like what he has to say. I really think he could run the country."
Roy McKenzie, 19, a member of Young Democrats at Roanoke College, said he was at the rally because "the younger generation is fed up with what's going on in Washington."
Organizers of the rally urged the standing-room-only crowd Thursday to get involved by making calls and getting out the vote for next week's primary.
Sabato said he expects a healthy turnout.
"This is a wide-open race, unlike most presidential elections," he added.
This time, Virginia could be more than an after thought.
