| It's been obvious for months that Creigh Deeds doomed his campaign for Virginia governor by trying to out-repug a repug, but now we have scientific data to back it up.
From Down with Tyranny:
Early yesterday, just as the debate was beginning, the PCCC released a poll of Virginia Democrats and Independents who voted for Obama in 2008 but didn't turn out for Creigh Deeds in 2009. Here's what they found:
• A huge majority of these voters thought Deeds "wasn't progressive enough."
• Many of these voters will decide whether to vote in 2010 based on whether or not Democrats pass a public option
• Many said they were less excited to vote for Deeds after he said he would "opt out" Virginia from the public option.
Stephanie Taylor fleshed out some of the specific findings of the poll over at Daily Kos:
- Creigh Deeds seen as "not progressive enough" by huge margin. 64% of Democratic Obama voters and 58% of Independent Obama voters said Deeds was "not progressive enough" compared with only 8% of Democrats and 16% of Independent Obama voters who said he was "too far to the left." (Overall, 5 to 1.)
- Obama's voters want the public option. 88% of Democratic Obama voters and 80% of Independent Obama voters favor a public health insurance option to compete with private insurance plans. 93% of those polled said health care is "very" or "somewhat" important when they vote.
- Creigh Deeds hurt by opposition to public option. When asked, "Before the election for Governor, Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds said he would side with conservatives and push for Virginia to 'opt out' of the public insurance plan. Did this make you more excited or less excited to vote in this year's election, or did it have no impact?" 41% of those polled said it made them less excited, only 6% said it made them more excited (7 to 1).
- Without a public option, Obama voters will continue to drop off in 2010. 43% of Democratic and Independent Obama voters said they are less likely to vote at all in the 2010 general election if Congress does not pass a public option as part of health care reform, compared to only 8% who are more likely to vote. If they do vote, by 46% to 6%, they will be less likely to vote for a Democratic candidate if Democrats do not pass a public option.
If you believed the bullshit about the Blue Dogs just being "fiscal conservatives," you saw the truth last night as almost the entire caucus crossed the aisle to vote with the Republicans against women's health. Please consider a contribution to the Blue America Bad Dog page. We'll bring down as many of them as we can next year.
The Blue Dogs are going to lose next year. They will probably lose to real republicans, but if we get our act together now, we can make sure the Blue Dogs lose in primaries to Real Democrats, who will then have a fighting chance to beat the real republicans.
We can also get rid of more than a few incumbent repugs if we find Real Democrats to run against them. If the incumbent repugs are themselves challenged or beaten in primaries by crazier-than-shithouse-rats freakazoids like Doug Hoffman, then Real Democrats can triumph.
2010 is a huge opportunity to get rid of the Blue Dog/DINOs who are the real obstacle to genuine progressive legislation. Don't let it pass us by. |
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