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why the GOP coattails were cropped.
It is probably safe to say that the Reagan and Warner landslides were personal victories rather than party victories. Both men were iniredibly fortunate in their opponents.
It takes nothing away from Democrats Walter Mondale, Geraldine Ferraro and Edythe Harrison to say that whatever their personal strengths may have been, and they were genuinely formidable, they were weak to the point of terminal anemia in their political appeal to the Virginia electorate.
With the exception of hardcore loyalists in both parties, the voters of the Commonwealth are renowned for their independence and willingness to vote for candidates whom they perceive to represent their interests regardless of their political label. Thus in the 6th and 9th Districts, both historically strongly Republican, we saw Democrats returned to office in the year of a Republican landslide.
If the Warner and Reagan ' sweeps, as broad they were, lacked the depth to achieve this in 1964, it is unlikely that the impact of their wins will carry over, undiluted, into 1985. , That is the year when Virginians will elect a governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and the 100 members of toe House of Delegates.
In that year Republican candidates in the state will be on their own. It is also the year in which the Democrats traditionally, but not always, get serious about politics.
But the point is, in spite of GOP claims, there has been no “historic realignment” of the parties either in Virginia or in the nation. Virginia voters are still far too independent for such a realignment to be made to stick for either party.
Thereon hangs the Democrats’ best home for 1965.
Thus the tentative answer to the question is not complicated. If the Democrats do, indeed, exercise the necessary damage control and get serious about politics next year, the GOP blitz can be contained. The key will be the nomination of candidates who are Within the mainstream of VirginWs'ixgpil
thought.
" If'ttey fail to do this, it is likely'the Republican blitz will roll on with disasterous consequences for Democratic hopes in the year ahead.
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