Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Tim Kaine’s appearance at the Democratic Convention an overall boon for this senate candidacy


A Virginia delegation of over 150 representatives arrived in Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday for this week’s Democratic National Convention.[1]

Since President Obama won in the commonwealth in 2008, Virginia has become a political hotbed for both political parties, each attempting to capture or recapture the once undeniably “red” state.

When President Obama carried Virginia four years ago, he became the first Democratic presidential candidate to do so since President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.[2]

Because Virginia could prove decisive again in this fall’s presidential election, the University of Virginia’s Larry Sabato has stated that he believes Virginia will be given a privileged position at the Democratic convention.

However, the only representative from the delegation of Virginians with a speaking role is U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine. “It will help his fundraising. I’m sure his staff has him going to all the right events to see the financial angels, and they all know him anyway,” Sabato commented.[3]

For Kaine, his appearance at the Democratic Convention carries some notable disadvantages as well. The Allen campaign has made it clear that Kaine’s friendship, and perceived blind adherence, with President Obama will be used as a means of chiseling away at Virginia’s undecided voters who support Kaine, but not the president.

The face-time for Kaine in front of a national audience, though, outweighs the disadvantages. For Virginians, it will afford them an opportunity to see Tim Kaine speaking live about the issues Virginia and America faces. Since Tim Kaine is a likeable guy and a good public speaker, it should only raise his approval among Virginia’s voters.  There is, of course, the fundraising element that Sabato commented upon as well.

It says a lot about how comfortable Tim Kaine and George Allen feel about their party’s policy platforms, as well. On the one hand, Tim Kaine will not only be at the Democratic Convention, he’ll be speaking there as well. Contrast this to George Allen’s self-exclusion from the Republican National Convention[4] and we can clearly see just how far outside of the mainstream the Republican Party has moved.

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