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publicans’ dilemma in 1966.
What overriding issues will they be able to come up with which might persuade the voters that it is time totum the reins of government over to the GOP? More specifically, what juicy Democratic derelictions - preferably with liberal overtones - are there for the GOP candidates to run against?
The pickings would appear to be slim.
Robb’s record as « fiscal conservative would be worthy of the pink-cheeked approval of old Harry F. Byrd Sr. himself. Further, it is doubtful that his achievements as a moderate on social issues can be used by the opponents of his party’s candidates in 1966 except in the carehilly code-worded needling of a few editorial writers and their cheering sections in likeminded redneck circles.
At the House of Delegates level there would appear to be no great tidal concerns to stir the voters to rebellion against the present Democratic majority. To be sure a few seats will change bands, but barring some politically cataclysmic event in the Commonwealth before November >1966, it appears that there is nothing to cause more than a scattering of changes in the House with these changes going either way with respect to Democratic or Republican gains or losses.
What the Virginia electorate is likely to see next year is something of a reversal of what they saw at the national level in 1984. It will be the Democrats who will be painting with pride at their record whidi even conservative Republicans will have considerable trouble criticising. Without doubt, however, they will give it the old college try.
Also next year, to be sure, the religious right and assorted other single issue outfits will be flexing their muscles. This expectation, however, is a source of more nervousness than comfort to the more cool-headed Republican strategists.
Then, too, efforts will be made to lump state Democratic candidates, in the voter’s perception, with their more liberal brothers and sisters in the national party. This perennial exercise i« ttfvays.gpod.for.at least a little political mileage if it isn’t laid on too thickly <oi* applied to an obviously inappropriate candidate.
What the electoral wars of *85 are likely to come down to is more of a series of battles between personalities and personal philosophies then mere struggles between wearers of party labels. Because of this we will also see the most lavishly financed dashes between campaign consultants, imam makers of various kinds ana hired media guns that we have witnessed since such things came into vogue. They will all make a bundle in the Old Dominion next year.
But for the GOP, last year’s slogans won’t work.
In order to post the gains they hope for, the Republicans will have come up with something better than a promise to rescue Virginians from the “Democrats’ failed liberal policies of the past.”
In Virginia, in 1985, that bugaboo simply isn’t out there.
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