Will Potts Screw Up Our Chance Of Retaining The VA Governorship?

[BamaLefty]

In the latest Rasmussen poll, Kaine is behind Kilgore 6 points with State Senator Russell Potts (I-27th District) picking up 5%. I was just wondering, will Potts presence hurt Tim Kaine? Looking at Potts' voting record, he appears to be fairly moderate. He is pro-choice, pro-business, pro-VEA, anti-environment, and pro-gun.

So, will he help or hurt us in this years VA Governors election?

http://vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=BS023176

[VADem11]

1. No

I think he will attract moderate republicans and maybe a few democrats but not enough to hurt us badly. He will probably help us.

[ernstbass]

2. I'm hoping that he will lhurt Kilgore

[kegler14]

3. Maybe...

I can't remember the last time I voted Republican, perhaps for Caldwell Butler or for John Warner in one of his first elections. But I have to say that sometimes Potts seems to make the most sense of the three candidates.

I'll almost certainly end up voting for Kaine because Potts has no chance and Kilgore would be extremely bad news for the commonwealth (his idea of tapping the General Fund for transportation would be an absolute disaster). But of the three, I think Potts is the most straightforward and, frankly, has some of the best ideas. The gas tax has been the same since 1986, and Potts is the only one willing to say flat-out that it needs to be raised (yes, I realize that saying this is probably suicide is this state where a majority seems to think money for all the services they want will just drop out of the sky). He's also the only one willingly to say flat-out that the real estate tax needs to be left completely up to local government.

I do hope that Potts ends up taking some of the moderate Republican vote, but I fear he'll also take some of the middle that might have voted for Kaine. Kilgore is working hard to hide some of his far right ideas until the election is over and I just don't see the Democrats slamming that obvious fact very hard.

[nerddem]

4. ...perhaps

the analysis i've seen thus far is that he's hurting kilgore more than kaine, even though i honestly thought it'd be the other way around since any democrat (especially of kaine's calibre) hoping to win statewide needs to win a noticable amount of mod reps and crush with independents. although, if all three were to debate together kilgore would be hurt even more, that's why he's resisted potts debating with them.

kaine and potts will debate together, which, to me, the consequences are unclear. one on hand, it makes kilgore look even more afraid and more of an asshole to mod reps and indeps, but on the other hand, we want the contrast to be between him and potts, not kaine and potts.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/23/AR2005082300980.html

[autorank]

5. Ugh, you mentioned that poll...WTF?

What is the matter with the general public in our great state? Don't they remember Gov. Enron, I mean Gilmore, cooking the books before Warner took office? Don't they remember the insanity of the hate laws promulgated by our first-ever (in this century) 100% Republican legislature? Don't they follow Kilgore's antics?

OK, help me feel better. People are not really paying attention or the Rasmussen poll is a fraud or the numbers were switched?

I have to tell you, Kilgore will cause more talented people to leave this state. That doesn't include me, I'm mediocre (haha), but good lord, Kilgore. NFW!

[17th and B]

6. I would think...

that Potts will help Kaine. Pull a Ross Perot and split the GOP/Conservative votes.