Election Speed Bump   The 2006 elections were bad news for Republicans but not necessarily for Conservatives.     This election two weeks ago was a speed bump on the path of history across the U.S. and in Virginia. Many  Republican candidates lost races in the House, in the Senate, and for some governorships. Few Conservatives lost. Very, very few Conservatives lost in the South. I’m sure the results were a crushing blow to Sen. George Allen and his family. But, there was no new barrier built to his Conservative ideas.   In fact, if the voters in just our First Congressional District had voted for Allen as by the same margin as they had voted a conservative "Yes" for Marriage (136,522 to 126,367), Allen would have won the election. (Allen lost across the Commonwealth by 8,786 votes.) Furthermore, twice as many voters as the margin of Virginia-wide defeat voted "Yes" for our very conservative congressman Rep. Jo Ann Davis (143,889 to 126,367).  Enough Conservative voters split their vote in discerning judgment for George Allen to lose.   Everyone can, and will, draw their own conclusions. One of the biggest reasons for Republican setbacks, I believe, is that politicians need to earn Virginians' votes every election. Name the three reasons to elect Mark Earley, Jerry Kilgore or George Allen.   As a political nerd, I could name three for Allen, but he didn’t make them crystal clear to all the voters, especially the apolitical, non-ideological, margin-of- victory voters in the middle. And, as noted, he lost some of his base of Conservatives.   Other than the personal pain for the losers, the only serious consequence of the Republican defeat is the increased likelihood of enactment of an amnesty bill for illegal aliens or new socialized medicine entitlements. Anything else, even blunders on the long, long WW IV against Islamists, can be fixed by a Conservative president and Congress that actually governs as Conservatives.   The only threat to our Republic is if Justice Bader or Kennedy retire and is replaced by a like-minded Leftist. Otherwise, we can breath easily and enjoy the show of Democrats legislating for two years. It will be political theater at its best.   There will be more drama in Virginia worth watching. It looks like former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie will crowned the Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia. I don’t know of any opposition.   I got my call from Ed Gillespie to vote for him for Chairman, RPV. He gave me his elevator speech on why he wanted the job. He has concerns about Virginia and thinks we can turn it around as a model for other states. He has lived in Virginia (originally from N.J.) for 13 years and considers himself a Virginian.   I asked if we could do 20 quick questions. He agreed amicably. Fewer than 20 followed. He is NOT running for state-wide office in ''07, '08 (Senate), or '09 (Governor). He has a day job contract through Dec '10.   He is not setting up any presidential bid for '08.   He will not take sides, officially or unofficially, for challengers to incumbent Republicans in the General Assembly. He will support the winner of the nomination.   He understands that two separate political messages can't be sent to NoVa and RoVa. But, much can be done to ID conservative voters who live in NoVa.   Elected officials from NoVa and RoVa will represent different constituencies issue by issue. But, on some Party issues we all must line up together.   He is interested in 1st District Chairman Russ Moulton's idea to spend resources on permanent and part-time staff working in the districts.   He is calling all the members of the SCC to ask for their vote. I told him that I thought it was a done deal already. That is too bad, because I looked forward to an election fight. He laughed.   So, what does this say about the process? A guy made it to the top by volunteering and closing the loop with the highest elected politicians and district chairs who influence the decisions of others, then by working his way down to check the block for all the individual votes on the committee. He ran the table fast.   The irony of Gillespie being inserted at the top of the RPV, along with the inevitable calls for unity, is the possible consequences.   If the Republican incumbents who are the hand maidens to Democrat governors, like local Tidewater pols Sen. Tommy Norment, Sen. Marty Williams, and Del. Glenn Oder, stay in office, stuck on stupid with tax and spend/regional government/more tax and spend, and remain unchallenged in Republian primaries, then the loss of Conservative votes that cost Allen his election will happen again in state-wide contests. No money or organization can overcome it.   Maybe our base will bleed worse. Depends on the candidates. It’s up to the Republicans to have issues worth voting for. The Democrats will say they are conservative – M. Warner, Kaine and Webb did. A 90s-like Allen and Gilmore candidacy would be clear. It would be convincing to Conservatives, and, if the issues and campaign are right, to the "moderates" in the middle ideologically and NoVa geographically.   Conservatives must earn every vote every election. Conservatives need to give up on the name-calling campaigns.   The "Liberal" label is a bogey man that doesn’t frighten anymore. Speak of our issues and ideas where we triumph. Provide better constituent service with a staff dedicated to all of your voters, regardless of party or place in life, instead of focused on the next, higher elective office. Serve The People above self.   -- November 20, 2006