After the rally today in Annandale, I had lunch with DPVA Chairman Dick Cranwell (as well as "Kindler" from Blue Commonwealth and Jared Leopold from the state party). This was the first time I'd ever had a chance to sit down and talk with Cranwell since I started blogging about Virginia politics back in January 2005. Anyway, better late than never.Some of the main points Cranwell made during lunch, which was "on the record," were:
*This is an election not so much about change as about furthering the progress we've made in Virginia the past few years under Democratic leadership.
*Democrats have fertile ground for House of Delegates pickups in Northern Virginia, but we also need to defend all the seats we have now and pick up a few outside of Northern Virginia.
*This will be an expensive race, maybe $40 million for the governor's race alone, but it's possible that the economy will tamp down donations and campaign spending.
*Getting out our vote is crucial, and that's going to require field organization, message, candidate strength, and figuring out a way to motivate Democrats. Right now, Republicans appear more motivated, as special elections in Alexandria and Fairfax the past few months demonstrated.
*Bob McDonnell will attempt to paint himself as a "moderate." Our job as Democrats is to let people know McDonnell's record, and certainly that he is NOT a moderate.
*There's no reason to think that we won't be unified after the governor's primary, despite how rough it seems right now.
I didn't take notes, so hopefully "Kindler" has more to add from his recollection of the meeting. Overall, it was great finally meeting Chairman Cranwell, especially since he just signed on for another tour of duty. I hope and expect that the DPVA will work closely with its netroots activists (and vice versa) in 2009 and beyond.
