Bye bye Cuccinelli “narrative”.

Fairfax Chamber’s NOVABizPAC Endorses in Virginia Statewide Races

PAC Endorses Terry McAuliffe for Governor, Senator Ralph Northam for Lieutenant Governor and Senator Mark Herring for Attorney General

Keep in mind that this is one of the major business groups in the state, one that endorsed Republican Jerry Kilgore for governor in 2005 and Republican Bob McDonnell for governor in 2009. Unlike the overwhelmingly Republican NOVA Tech Council PAC and its absurd endorsement of Ken Kookinelli, the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce actually knows where its own interests lie: in maintaining a healthy business environment, including a healthy transportation system, so Virginia businesses can actually…conduct business! (I know, what a concept) This endorsement really demolishes whatever “narrative” Ken Cuccinelli was trying to create off the NOVA Technology Council PAC endorsement. The fact is, business does better under Democrats like Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (and Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, under both of whom the stock market boomed and the economy recovered from Republican recessions), rather than under right-wing ideologues like Bush/Cheney, Bob McDonnell, or (god forbid) Cuccinelli/Jackson/Obenshain.

Speaking of Jackson and Obenshain, the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce most certainly did NOT endorse those wackos either. Instead, they endorsed Ralph Northam for LG, citing “his experience serving in the Senate and his support for the Fairfax Chamber’s legislative priorities.” And they endorsed Mark Herring for Attorney General, “because of his experience serving Northern Virginia and his support for the Fairfax Chamber’s legislative agenda and priorities.” That makes Obenshain a big fat ZERO in terms of major business group endorsements in Northern Virginia. Gee, I can’t imagine why business groups wouldn’t be impressed with a guy who wants to ban contraception, criminalize miscarriages, persecute LGBT people, let our roads fall apart, etc. Just can’t understand it…lol.

From the McAuliffe campaign:

“At last night's debate, Ken Cuccinelli refused to clearly condemn the threat of a government shutdown as a bargaining chip to push an ideological agenda.  He has focused his career on fighting divisive ideological battles and is about to bring Senator Ted Cruz, the leader of the shutdown movement, to Virginia,” said McAuliffe spokesperson Josh Schwerin.  “Ken Cuccinelli nearly killed the entire state budget in Virginia over his battle to defund Planned Parenthood.  It's time for Ken Cuccinelli to give Virginians the straight answer they deserve.”

Cruz Filmed Ads Trying To Pressure Republican Senators To Support Plan To Shut Down The Government In September 2013, the Washington Post reported, “In August, Cruz and Lee filmed ads for the Senate Conservatives Fund. The spots ran in states with GOP senators, trying to pressure them to support the plan to shut down the government. Cruz and DeMint traveled nationwide trying to rally conservative activists to pressure Republicans. It worked in the House, where several dozen members forced Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) to retreat from his plan to pass a stopgap government funding bill without strict restrictions on health-care funding. Instead, Boehner allowed the Cruz-backed language to pass last week. Cruz issued a thank-you message but noted that he had little chance of success in the Senate.” [Washington Post, 9/23/13] 

Very interesting points by Chris Graham of the Augusta Free Press on why Ken Cuccinelli is losing the Virginia governor’s race. I particularly enjoyed the following:

Those attack ads that I mentioned that have been aiming to knock down Terry McAuliffe a peg or two or more, in my mind they’re actually reinforcing what Terry McAuliffe would love to be the message about him, which again is that he’s the business-focused candidate. The nuances of the scandals that the Cuccinelli campaign are trying to pin on Terry McAuliffe are lost on a lot of people…The sum effect, though, is to paint an image of this guy as a guy who’s an inside wheeler and dealer business, willing to go the extra mile, to use government money to advance business projects.

Well guess what, if you’re governor that’s what you need to be able to do. And I think a lot of voters are either ignoring those messages or maybe those who are thinking about it are thinking hey, that’s the kind of governor we want. We have a choice between two candidates; one is the guy who is going to sue the federal government over Obamacare, going to sue the University of Virginia over climate science research. We can have that governor, or we can have a governor who maybe sells out the state to a degree but he will get some things done. I don’t know that message is really helping the Cuccinelli campaign.

So in the end…you have the Cuccinelli campaign spending the bulk of its time perhaps pushing the McAuliffe agenda for it inadvertently, and that’s why you have Ken Cuccinelli trailing in the Virginia polls.

Hahaha, gotta love it. Now just to be clear, I’m not a fan of corporate welfare, or of states bidding against each other to lure companies away from the other one(s), in any way, shape or form. Sadly, though, that’s our system right now, and apparently we have to play to win. As for reforming this system, Ken Cuccinelli is most certainly NOT better – in fact he’s arguably far, far worse – than Terry McAuliffe. The fact is, Cuccinelli as Attorney General was involved in shady, “quid pro quo”-type arrangements with Bobby Thompson (of the phony Navy Vets “charity”), Jonnie Williams (of the slimeball Star Scientific outfit), and CONSOL Energy (out-of-state gas company ripping of Southwest Virginia landowners, while Cuccinelli’s staff advised them on how to do so most effectively!). Also note that Cuccinelli receives large sums of money from some of the most powerful corporate interests in the country, such as the heinous Koch brothers. The thought that Cooch of all people would rein in corporate power over our government is beyond laughable, ranging into loony-tunes territory. Which means he is the LAST person on earth to be criticizing anyone in that regard. Not that that will stop him or his “brilliant” brain trust…

From the McAuliffe campaign:

The reviews are in. At last night's Fairfax Chamber debate, Ken Cuccinelli was on the defensive for his extreme social record, including attacks against LGBT Virginians, efforts to block women's access to preventive healthcare, and his refusal to join 47 other Attorneys General to sign a letter urging Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. Cuccinelli also sidestepped questions about why he accepted $18,000 of gifts and trips from Star Scientific and its CEO Jonnie Williams while sitting on a lawsuit between Star and the state over $1.7 million in unpaid taxes, and why his office was aiding out-of-state energy companies trying to avoid paying Southwest Virginia landowners gas royalties. 

Larry Sabato on The Daily Rundown: “This reinforced what the voters and the party bases already think about the two candidates. So, look, it was a good debate that means it was good for McAuliffe—he went in with a lead, he came out with a lead.”

Washington Post’s The Fix: “No knockout blow. That’s good for McAuliffe. Both candidates leaned heavily on arguments and criticisms they’ve made before, and neither landed any big-time hits… But quotables aside, there were no moments that threatened to upend the race. Count it as a slight victory for McAuliffe, who polls show is leading.

Politico: “But the hour-long clash at Capital One’s headquarters here, broadcast on NBC affiliates across the state, largely followed the same back-and-forth script of the last several weeks. There was not the kind of pivotal, game-changing moment Cuccinelli hoped could change the trajectory of an off-year race that has pulled away from him and toward Democrat Terry McAuliffe…

Richmond Times-Dispatch: ““McAuliffe, who hammered Cuccinelli over his positions on abortion and gay rights, said “his experience has been in dividing people.”

AP: “McAuliffe had just told NBC News political director Chuck Todd, the moderator of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce debate, that he supports “marriage equality” and claimed that Cuccinelli had called gays “soulless and self-destructive human beings.” McAuliffe said it was a major difference between the two.

Fredericksburg Free Lance Star: “Cuccinelli sidestepped a question about why Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams would give him $18,000 worth of trips and gifts, saying that he had taken the initiative to revise disclosure statements that omitted some of those gifts and that at the time, “what was going on there didn’t seem like a big deal.” 

by Paul Goldman

In the 2009 Virginia gubernatorial election exit poll, “White Evangelical/Born-Again” voters made up 34% of the electorate, going 6:1 for winner Bob McDonnell (Creigh Deeds, who lost by a landslide, actually carried the remaining voters by a bare majority). However, in the latest 2013 Virginia governor’s race, the respected Marist/NBC poll says “Evangelic Christian[s]” will only constitute 19% of the electorate (I used Marist, since conservatives think the Post Poll is biased against them, and the Q-poll doesn’t seem to have asked about religion).

A few months ago, here on Blue Virginia, I caught “hell,” as John Wayne might have said, when writing that white Evangelical/Born-Again voters were likely to be the key voting group this year if Cuccinelli ran the kind of campaign myself and others expected. But facts are facts: Cuccinelli, in my view, needed a McDonnell vs. Deeds type of electorate to have a chance of winning, and this didn’t seem remotely possible to me even though the GOP guy led by 11 percentage points in the Washington Post poll back then.

In 2012, the exit pols say that “White Born-Again Christian” voters made up 23% of the electorate. They voted 6:1 for Romney. Thus, my polling puzzlement: How is it logically derived that “Evangelical” voters can only make up 19% of the Marist projected electorate?  Notice I used the word “logically.” Anything is possible in politics. But the Marist 5 percentage-point Terry margin and its 3-point Dem over GOP projected electorate are both consistent with other polls, thus raising a fair question: how is the 19% evangelical share logically derived, given the hard data in recent years?

The Marist poll has white voters at 72%, and the 2009 exit polls had it at 78%. African-American turnout is pegged at 19% this year, compared to 19% in 2012. Accordingly, you see my polling puzzlement:  Where did the “White Evangelical/Born-Again Christian” vote go?

 

Logically, the one thing E.W. Jackson should in theory be able to do in a positive way for Cuccinelli is to rally this voter group. What more does the GOP LG have to do? Unless, of course, as I believe, Mr. Jackson is such an embarrassment to himself and others that folks naturally don’t even want to be associated with his stuff. Perhaps people figure Jackson has to be auditioning for a role as Ann Coulter’s co-host on the new Fox show “Crazy for You,” with the hit record of the same title as the theme song.

Still, dropping from 34% all the way to 19% when it was 23% in a big Democratic year in 2012 here in Virginia? It raises the question: since these voters broke 6:1 for McDonnell and Romney (McCain too if I remember), what is the net/net effect if the polls are significantly understating this group? Also, why is this happening?

As a statistical matter, it might not be a big deal at all, given the partisan nature of the 2013 electorate, or it might be a big deal depending on weighting and other techniques used by pollsters. Indeed, the Marist poll underweights African-American voters, a key Democratic group. This could mean a skew against McAuliffe, depending on other assumptions, or effectively a wash depending on your other data markers.

But the BOTTOM LINE: Clearly the Marist Poll, in surveying voters, is not picking up the kind of White Evangelical Born-Again voting propensity as would have been logically assumed based on recent statewide elections.  Otherwise, they would not be using the 19% figure for a group that made up 34% of the electorate in 2009 and 23% in 2012 when the Obama constituency came out in strong force.

My take: The Cuccinelli camp is strongly in the Karl Rove/Dick Morris 2012/Romney camp mindset, believing the published polls are dead wrong on turnout and that their polls, weighted far more “correctly,” show a Cuccinelli/Jackson/Obenshain sweep. Indeed, they probably share a private laugh every morning chuckling at how the VA Dems are going to be shocked on election day when a huge GOP voter posse, hiding in the “polling weeds,” rises up and swamps the polls.

My take? The Republicans are engaging in gallows humor for sure, but it’s their funeral, so I will not interfere. Yet at the same time, a serious observer trying to be fair has to ask one last time: Why are polls like Marist assuming such a low turnout from the strongest part of the GOP voter base? Logic would suggest these people might be itching to vote to send a message to LG Bolling and the others who have deserted the party for personal gain. Or, is there a different message if this strong GOP group intends to sit out the GUV race in what would be record numbers?

Like I say, it is a polling puzzlement for sure: White Evangelical Born-Again Christian voters missing in action, because it would ALSO SUGGEST that the Tea Party folks are likewise going to stay home, despite Cuccinelli and Jackson being “tea party before it was cool” (in GOP circles, at least, although losing coolness at a record rate if you look at the polls).

BOTTOM LINE: As I wrote months ago, “34%” is a bridge too far. But dropping all the way down to “19%” is a meltdown that is sending quite a message if true. That being said: The Marist Poll only had a 3 percentage point Democratic margin over Republicans in the electorate, and it was just 4 percentage points GOP over Dem in 2009. Thus, logic suggests the poll is picking up strong Republicans who may be Evangelical voters but who didn’t respond to certain survey questions. And again: The statistics of polling assumes various counter-balancing variances on each side, the cumulative pluses and minuses roughly offsetting 19 out of 20 times. Sub-group data therefore is important to get right, but as long as mistakes are random, you get a good poll.  

Whatever the explanation, it seems to me that the pollsters should clarify the puzzle in their next round of polling before the conspiracy theorists take another piece out of the diminishing credibility of the political process. There is no useful good to such a situation.  

Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC Statement on Gov. Debate;

Cuccinelli’s Comments are “Unbelievably Insulting to Virginia Women” 

RICHMOND, VA — Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC released the following statement in response to tonight’s gubernatorial debate, where Ken Cuccinelli made the outrageous claim that “no one has done more to protect women than I have.”  

Statement from Cianti Stewart-Reid, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC: 

“Ken Cuccinelli demonstrated how out of touch he is with the needs of Virginia women tonight. His claim that no one has done more to protect women would be laughable, if it wasn’t so unbelievably insulting to Virginia women.  Cuccinelli wants to outlaw abortion with no exceptions for survivors of rape, incest or to protect the health of the woman. That doesn’t sound like protection to me. He thinks bosses should be able to decide if their employees can access affordable birth control, and he has made it a priority to shut down women’s health care providers like Planned Parenthood.  

“Ken Cuccinelli must think that ‘protection’ means limiting our access to health care and interfering with our personal medical decisions – and if that’s the case, Virginia women certainly do not want Ken Cuccinelli to ‘protect’ them anymore.  That’s why we’re working double time to educate Virginia women about his clear and dangerous record.”

Planned Parenthood Votes and Planned Parenthood Virginia PAC have been running a layered grassroots outreach effort leading up to Virginia’s gubernatorial election to educate Virginia voters about Cuccinelli’s dangerous record and agenda on women’s health and to mobilize supporters to help keep Ken out of the governor’s mansion this November. Our supporters and volunteers have knocked close to 17,000 doors already and plan to knock thousands more. Our supporters also held a rally outside the debate with “Keep Ken Out” signs.

You can see a photo from our rally here.

You can watch tonight’s Virginia gubernatorial debate, which begins at 7 pm (see below for my live blog), on either NBC 4 or on C-SPAN3. Also, if you’re following the debate on Twitter, or if you’re tweeting yourself, you can use the hash tag #VAGovDebate. A few Twitter handles you might want to check out include: @TerryMcAuliffe @KenCuccinelli @ChuckTodd (host of the @FairfaxChamber debate) @JoshSchwerin @vademocrats @briancoy @gwenrocco and @brbilberry Also @MoElleithee @PilotOnPolitics @omeola @RTDNolan @JulieCareyNBC @RTDSchapiro and @chelyendavis

UPDATE 8:07 pm: @MoElleithee tweets, “SCREEEEEECHHHH!!!!!!!  That was sound of @KenCuccinelli throwing @BobMcDonnell completely under the bus.” So true. Also, ‏@brbilberry tweets, “What a great night for terry. Sitting next to cuccinelli folks in audience they know this was not what they wanted to see.” Very true; Cooch was really “off”/”rattled” tonight, while Terry was on his “A game.” Huge advantage on style and substance for Terry over Kookinelli.

UPDATE 7:55 pm: Closing statements (thank goodness). Terry: “Virginia women have had just about enough of Ken Cuccinelli.” “Mainstream solutions.” Cooch finally brings up Greentech Automotive, says “Terry will fight for Terry,” while he will supposedly fight for us. Does ANYONE in their right mind believe that?!? If so, what controlled substance are you taking? Also, as I just tweeted, major #FAIL by Chuck Todd et al. tonight in not asking Cooch about his witch hunt against climate scientist Michael Mann, and of course his climate science denial. Those alone should be automatic disqualifiers for higher office in America at this point.

UPDATE 7:53 pm: Question about pre-Labor Day start to school? Should “Redskins” change name. Terry says governor shouldn’t tell private business what to do. Cooch says it’s up to the team entirely. Stupid questions by Chuck Todd. Wasting our time.

UPDATE 7:50 pm: Question to Terry on tax returns. Stupid question, this is not a real issue, as Terry has done as much or more than previous governor candidates. Star Scientific and CONSOL Energy really ARE issues, because they are real scandals – “that was [Cuccinelli’s] legal responsibility.” Has proposed strong ethics reform, will issue executive order on a $100 gift ban. Cooch says he reported the Star Scientific materials, shows how great he is (I think he may have just dislocated his shoulder patting himself on the back). Cooch also keeps saying “Democrat” when it should be “Democratic.” Puerile punk. Throws out a bunch of ridiculous attacks, what a joke.

UPDATE 7:48 pm: Question to Ken Cuccinelli on Jonnie Williams gifts, why he would give them to Cooch? Cooch throws McDonnell under the bus, says it didn’t “seem like a big deal,” had no idea Williams had business before Virginia. WTF? Says it was the “right thing to do” to give $18,000 to charity, even though he previously said there was absolutely nothing unethical about taking the money in the first place. Confused yet? Head spinning? Yeah…

UPDATE 7:44 pm: Question to Terry about gay marriage. Says he’s for marriage equality, this is quite a difference from Cooch, who has referred to LGBT Virginians as “soulless and self destructive.” Cooch says it will never come to the desk of a Virginia governor, says he thinks marriage should be one man/one woman. Cooch immediately starts attacking Terry again. This is really tiresome. Does anyone have one of those giant hooks to pull Cooch off the stage? Terry reiterates that he supports equal rights for LGBT Virginians. Brings up Cuccinelli’s CONSOL Energy scandal, the Attorney General’s office secretly advising CONSOL how to beat Virginia landowners owed money by this out-of-state energy company.

UPDATE 7:39 pm: Question to Cooch on health care affordability for poor Virginians. Cooch says expanding Medicaid is not the way to make it work better. Huh? He makes no sense whatsoever on health care, utterly irrational, just like the rest of the Tea Party. Terry says Medicaid expansion is bipartisan, mainstream, and very important. He adds that this will allow 400,000 Virginians to get crucial health care, that this is the law of the land, and that it’s our money we’re bringing back into Virginia’s economy. Virginia’s rural hospitals could be jeopardized if we don’t take Medicaid money. @ssurovell tweets, “Hey @Juliecarey – Cuccinellis answer to Virginians that would be eligible under Medicaid expansion – MOVE TO MARYLAND.” Cooch says he doesn’t trust the federal government to cough up the money, essentially. He is simply not serious.

UPDATE 7:38 pm: Terry says no budget will be shut down over Medicaid expansion, will work in bipartisan way to make sure it gets done. Notes that he was endorsed by Republican VA Beach Mayor Will Sessoms and many other Republicans. Says (correctly) that Cooch almost derailed Virginia’s budget. Says sequestration or shutting down government are unacceptable. “Shame on everybody” until this gets resolved.

UPDATE 7:35 pm: Question on Ted Cruz, shutting down government over “Obamacare.” Cuccinelli says he doesn’t want to see government shut down, wouldn’t be good for Northern Virginia. Riiiight, so have you told your lunatic Tea Party allies?!? Attacks Terry for saying he wouldn’t sign budget without Medicaid expansion. Of course, Cooch has no revenue sources whatsoever, and opposes Medicaid expansion which would bring in a LOT of money to Virginia. Cooch claims he’s the anti-Washington candidate. Dodges on Ted Cruz. Says he’d like to see Obamacare repealed.

UPDATE 7:31 pm: Terry says without Medicaid expansion money, there’s not a penny for any investment in mental health. As governor, his goal will be to make sure that all Virginians are safe. the Navy Yard incident the other day is part of a continued pattern. Need to eliminate guns from people who shouldn’t have them. @LarrySabato tweets, “TM not shying away from gun control. Will hurt him in rural areas, help him in central cities, urbanized suburbs.” @briandevine tweets, “I wouldn’t bring up NRA ratings in a question about what I am doing about preventing gun violence.”

UPDATE 7:30 pm: Cooch points finger at mental illness, desperately tries to avoid talking about guns or answering the question (about implementing Virginia Tech commission recommendations). Claims gun control doesn’t work…the usual, in other words. “Attacks” Terry for being “F rated” by the NRA. In reality, that is a badge of honor.

UPDATE 7:28 pm: Question by Julie Carey to Terry on guns. Terry says when we drop our children off at school, we need to know they’ll be safe, that’s why I’m for responsible gun ownership, including universal background checks. Notes that he owns gun, is a hunter, has gone through background checks himself and that it’s very simple and quick, but there are certain individuals who shouldn’t own a gun. Says 91% of Americans support universal background checks, and the Senate refused to bring it up for a vote.

UPDATE 7:26 pm: Chuck Todd follows up on Cooch’s lame “loopholes” comment. “What are they?” Cooch says there are “scores of them,” but won’t allow himself to be pinned down to specifics, of course.

UPDATE 7:25 pm: Terry says, correctly, that if we had Cooch’s plan, Virginia would be “in financial ruin.” Also notes that Cooch opposed the Governor’s transportation plan, opposes the Silver Line, won’t take Medicaid money, would devastate education and prevent Virginia from growing a 21st century economy. Would also devastate Fairfax and other localities, would force Virginia to lay off thousands of teachers.

UPDATE 7:23 pm: Question from Aaron Gilchrist about Cuccinelli not providing specifics on how he’d pay for his huge tax cuts. Cooch actually cites North Carolina, which is being destroyed as we speak by the Tea Party, as a model for Virginian. Hmmmm. Claims he’d eliminated “15% of corporate tax loopholes,” but of course doesn’t say which ones. Basically, Cooch doesn’t answer the question. #FAIL

UPDATE 7:19 pm: Cooch claims Terry doesn’t understand how Virginia government works. Refers to Northern VA Technology PAC endorsement, of course fails to mention that group is OVERWHELMINGLY Republican! Cooch says “Governor is not a good entry level job.” You mean, like for Mark Warner, one of our greatest governors? Duhhhhh. The chutzpah of Cuccinelli is amazing, claiming “No one up here has done more to protect women.” Is that supposed to be a joke?  ‏@jeisrael tweets, “And @KenCuccinelli wants to improve Medicaid — which he thinks unconstitutional.”

UPDATE 7:18 pm: Question from Ben Pershing on paying for education. Terry says we’ll look at efficiencies, work to get Medicaid expansion. Prudent budgeting. Cooch has proposed $1.4 billion tax cut, no idea how he’d pay for it, would be devastating for education (thousands of teachers laid off), would put “gigantic hole” in budget.

UPDATE 7:16 pm: Chuck Todd quotes Bill Bolling about how far right the Republican ticket is. Cuccinelli basically disses Bolling. Cooch claims what Terry said is “false,” when of course it’s all true. Is Cooch’s nose growing longer? It should be.

UPDATE 7:15 pm: Terry points out, correctly, that Cooch runs on jobs, then when he gets into office pushes his far-right-wing agenda. Opposed Violence Against Women Act reauthorization. Has attacked gay Virginians. Says there are consequences to this “mean spirited attack” on women’s health, gay Virginians, etc. Says we have to bring people together to move Virginia forward.

UPDATE 7:12 pm: Question to Cuccinelli about pushing his right-wing agenda, be divisive. Cooch points to “broad array of support” he’s been getting, including Democrats (huh?!?).@ProgressVA tweets, “@KenCuccinelli sez has positive record He’s positively been attacking access to health care, LGBT Virginians, public schools.” Cooch says he has basic beliefs that are “fundamental to me,” but absurdly claims he’s spent most of his time trying to move Virginia forward economically. Seriously? He really believes that? Cooch “jokes” that if Terry is elected, we’ll have to change state motto from “Sic Semper Tyrannus” to “Quid Pro Quo.” Hahahahaha. Not.  @ssurovell tweets, “Cuccinelli brags about fighting with Fairfax County to avoid cleaning up our local streams – not something to brag about.”

UPDATE 7:11 pm: Question about ethics, political connections. Terry says he’s spent much of his life volunteering in politics, running businesses, he stands by everything he’s done in his life and is proud of his accomplishments. Points out Ken Cuccinelli’s Star Scientific scandal, $1,500 turkey dinner (“that’s a lot of turkey”), etc.

UPDATE 7:07 pm: Question #1 is on “negative TV ads” and “stereotypes” the other guy is trying to create. Terry gives his bio, emphasizes the importance of his business experience and approach. There are definitely differences between us. Cooch has pushed ideological agenda, bullying Board of Health, shutting down women’s health clinics, etc. Cooch claims he’s run positive ads, which is hilarious, given the reams of negative ads his SuperPAC allies are running. Basically, neither candidate really answers the question.

UPDATE 7:04 pm: Cooch opening statement. Says he’s the only candidate “who won’t need on-the-job training.” The problem, of course, isn’t “training,” but Cooch’s extremist, bigoted ideas.

UPDATE 7:03 pm: Chuck Todd now welcoming the candidates. Terry McAuliffe opening statement begins. Terry says the choice is simple: which candidate will focus on mainstream issues Virginians care about, on the economy, on commonsense solutions. Has assembled a “bipartisan coalition.” Notes that Cuccinelli shook up his campaign, resulting a sharp increase in personal attacks, which he expects more of tonight. But what Virginians want to hear is how we’ll deal with “serious economic headwinds” with sequestration, etc. No Tea Party “gridlock.” We need mainstream solutions now “more than ever.”

UPDATE 7:00 pm: The moderator is Chuck Todd, who hopefully will “commit an act of journalism” tonight. The rules are…NO RULES! Just kidding. 🙂

UPDATE 6:57 pm: @DannyKanner tweets, “@KenCuccinelli will be swinging for fences to erase deficit, but got a feeling the radical agenda can’t be hidden at this pt.”  ‏@BrianCoy tweets, “Waiting for @KenCuccinelli to turn #VAGovDebate into #FlailFest2013 in 3…”