Gerry Connolly: VA 2011 Election Results “bode well” for Obama and Kaine in 2012

I mostly agree with Rep. Connolly’s analysis, although I’d actually say what’s going on in Ohio bodes even better for President Obama’s reelection than anything happening in Virginia. Also, Democrats have got to be smiling right now when they look at the utterly pathetic, wacked-out, moronic, scandal-ridden, flip-flopping Republican candidates for president. Combine that with broad support for Democratic policy prescriptions, plus a shift in public focus towards wealth inequality and the need for jobs (as opposed to the Republicans’ focus on austerity and helping the top 1%), and I’m liking our chances right now!

In an interview with the News-Press, U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly said that Tuesday’s outcome bodes well for the chances of Democrats in 2013, for President Obama’s re-election bid and former Governor Tim Kaine’s U.S. Senate bid.

“Look, the Republicans threw over $5 million into gaining control of the Virginia State Senate,” Connolly said. “And what did they get? They’re clinging to an 86 vote lead to settle for a tie in that body.”

But moreover, the results in areas key for Democrats statewide, including Northern Virginia, Tidewater and Richmond, Democrats fared better than expected and a lot of fresh enthusiasm was tapped in the grass roots, Connolly said.

A number of predicted GOP gains in Fairfax County did not materialize, as Democratic incumbent State Senators George Barker, Dave Marsden and Toddy Puller held on for re-election, all Democratic incumbents on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors were re-elected with 60-plus percent of the vote, with one Democrat, Janet Oleszek, almost pulling an upset in the Braddock District, and Democrats picked up two new seats on the Fairfax County School Board.

Now, if Loudoun County Democrats could just get their act together…