Kaine: Virginia ‘Not A Blue State’

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Virginia’s Democratic Senator-elect Tim Kaine said the recent triumphs of his party cement the Commonwealth’s status as a battleground, but he’s not ready declare it a blue state quite yet. 

In an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch that ran Sunday, Kaine said Virginia has emerged as a “front-rank, center-stage, spotlight-on battleground state” that can no longer be taken for granted by either party:

We’re a forward-focused state now. We’re not people’s museum piece anymore. And there were many who had an inaccurate impression of who Virginia was. And I think what these results showed is just this: We’re a front-rank, center-stage, spotlight-on battleground state. We’re not a blue state. I don’t think we’re going to be a blue state anytime soon. But we are no longer the irrelevant state that neither Republicans nor Democrats need to come to. …I think it should be an enormous source of pride for Virginians, whatever party they are.

 

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: