Republicans convene at Hot Springs to address woes

[Thom Little]

In their first major gathering since losing the governor's race and a legislative seat last month, the state Republican Party's restive foot soldiers will demand answers from their leaders.

How, they want to know, has a Republican movement once described as an insurgency lost the initiative that brought it to power in the 1990s?

Why, they will ask, did the party buckle in the pivotal 2004 tax increase battle? And how come the GOP didn't do more to hold the popular and savvy Democratic governor, Mark R. Warner, to account for breaking an explicit campaign promise not to raise taxes?

"I felt like the campaign went too far to the middle. There was no real distinction between how (Democratic Gov-elect) Tim Kaine ran and how Jerry (Kilgore, the Republican) ran except for maybe an issue or two," said Henrico County GOP activist and 7th District Republican Chairman Linwood Cobb.


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VA_GOP_ADVANCE_VAOL-?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=US

[FSogol]

1. Ha-ha, when they do the right thing (vote for the 2004 tax increase)

their party falls apart.

They think Kilgore was moderate? Maybe they should avoid nominating religious quacks and bigots.

[VaYallaDawg]

2. No difference between the way Kaine and Kilgore ran????

'Scuse me, I must have been in some parallel universe the whole time!! Kilgore ran one of the nastiest, most negative campaigns anybody in Virginia has ever seen. And then he's surprised he didn't win?