I find it interesting that Bloomberg is concentrating on making Virginia more anti-gun while New York City’s crime rate skyrockets. I’ve tried to figure out why he’d pick Northern Virginia to make a stand. Is it because he wants to attack NRA in its own backyard? Is it because MAIG’s campaign in Pennsylvania in 2010 failed spectacularly? Or is it because the anti-gun groups that are located in DC provide feet on the ground that MAIG doesn’t honestly have to do the heavy grassroots political lifting. I have to wonder if it’s the latter, based on this video where where Josh Horwitz and another gun control advocate uncover the unbelievable scandal of Caren Merrick volunteers walking into a building, and then acting shocked because the volunteers seem to have no idea who these two people are, or what they’re talking about.
I admit to not following Virginia politics very closely. Any ideas what Bloomberg is doing? Is this a particularly important election?
Maybe it’s cause all those Obama admin employees live in either N. VA, S. MD or DC. Two of the three are already anti gun.
The Democrats control the State Senate. That is where every pro-gun bill has been defeated lately. Our side thinks we have a very good chance of flipping the senate this year. I think Bloomberg knows this and is trying to prevent it.
Defend the flagpole/castle. Prevent a blockbusting attack on an anti-gun citadel.
It’s why Wisconsin was so important to them. Now Chicago is between two shall issue states and out of excuses (well, that only works in Indiana, not here in the Big City).
If Republicans take the Senate in Virginia then the last defensive line of the Democrats is gone. Virginia gun owners have a full agenda (and a fired up VCDL) and the contrast between D.C./Maryland and Virginia will be too much even for the mandarins of D.C.
Northern Virginia is the only liberal bastion in the Commonwealth and for some reason the state Democrats, led by their liberal wing (yes there are a handful of moderate to conservative Dems still left in Virginia) think that gun control is what gets their base energized. The Democrats currently own Northern Virginia when it comes to the state senate and they don’t want a repeat of 2009 when Bob McDonnell became the first Republican in several years to carry the region. If their base does not show up, the GOP has a good shot of winning a couple of the districts in the region and win a majority in the State Senate.
Because Arlington is like Palo Alto East? Rich Democrats and a big fundraising venue mean there’s room to dump money into a swill-pot of crony-bureaucracy, and work up a smelly legislative goop to spread around the money he has.
He’s having little if any direct influence. However, as another commentator pointed out, the Democrats narrowly control the state Senate and Virginia generally is trending away from Obama and the Dems. They are desperate for money to hold on to whatever seats they can.
Barbara Favola, who is mentioned, is in particular trouble. My Senator – Janet “Gun Ban Lover” Howell actually redistricted herself to avoid having to run against Carren Merrick. They created a new Senate district, that probably leans Republican. The others are all in very tight races – and I suspect of the six total, the Rs take 4 of them (which may be enough to swing the Senate).
I think it is because Bloomie thinks he can win in anti-gun northern Virginia and then claim that “Virginians are on his side”. However, the Dems decision to bring up the guns issue is backfiring on them.