Kerry to Attend Memorial Day Parade in Portsmouth VA

[ed_vadem]

just announced on Sunday, this visit confirms that VA has been added to Kerry's targetted states. Another visit on July 16 to a NOVA hotel is also scheduled.

This comes on the heels of a new ad buy in the state as well.

The merits of this strategy will be hotly debated.

The only impact I see is that Mark Warner has moved up a bit on the likely VP choices from the top 20 to the top 10 possibilities. VA only becomes a battleground state if Gov M. Warner is the VP nominee IMHO.

Former LT Gov Don Beyer, now working at DNC probably had some impact on this new strategy. VA was carried by 8% in Yr 2000 by Bush and Gore put no effort into the state.

[chimpymustgo]

1. Kerry can pick off some Southern states. This is a great move.

Warner was just elected 2 years ago. The state's demographics are fluid. Kerry has clearly studied this, weighed the odds, and thinks he can compete - IMO with or w/o Mark Warner. I like Warner, but he has work to do in VA, and needs more experience and national exposure. He's just not Kerry's best option - by far - for Veep.

But I love that Kerry is going South. VA, WVA, NC, TN, ARK, KY, LA, MO are in play.

[liberalitch]

2. If I thought that I could get through the midtown tunnel...

I'd go see John Kerry.
You see Hampton roads is growing rapidly... Two tiny tunnels link the thriving cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth. Two years ago Mark warner put forth a bill... 1 penny per dollar increase in sales tax and we can solve all traffic problems in less than a decade...
OF COURSE.... republican voters who dominate(d) Va. campaigned/voted in masses against it, failing to see that better transportation flow would encourage businesses to move here as several important industries have refused to relocate here because of the increasing grid lock.... so here we sit...... investmentless.... in traffic.