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Inauguration gives national GOP cause to celebrate
January 17, 2010 by Chair · Leave a Comment
When Gov. Bob McDonnell took the oath yesterday, he cemented a reversal of political fortunes for Virginia Republicans after eight years of Democratic control and gave the out-of-power national GOP a cause for celebration.
McDonnell’s decisive victory, coupled with a win in New Jersey’s governor’s race, buoyed the spirits of national GOP leaders, who hope for further successes in this week’s special election for a U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts and in this fall’s congressional elections.
In Richmond yesterday, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele sat alongside former governors and state senators on the steps of the Capitol, hugging Rep. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, and shaking hands with enthusiastic legislators.
McDonnell’s inauguration, Steele said in an interview, “speaks to how principled candidates who are running grass-roots campaigns can connect with people.”
He said it shows how they can “lay out the argument for their policies and the differences between the direction they would like to lead the state or the country, and the direction the Democrats want to go in, and I think the people responded very favorably.”
Steele, who campaigned with McDonnell during the closing days of his campaign, hopes his success will set in motion other wins in the rest of the country.
“We’re very grateful for the victory in Virginia and New Jersey, and we’re looking toward hopefully an even greater one in Massachusetts,” he said.
Republicans are making a push in Democrat-leaning Massachusetts in Tuesday’s special election for the Senate seat formerly held by Edward M. Kennedy, who died in August. President Barack Obama heads to Massachusetts today to campaign for Attorney General Martha Coakley, the Democrat who is trying to fend off the Republican nominee, state Sen. Scott Brown.
Ed Gillespie, another former national Republican chairman, who advised McDonnell during his campaign, attended the inauguration, as did Jim Gilmore, a former Virginia governor who also served as RNC chairman.
“We’re looking forward to a great four years and see if we can’t get some positive solutions to some problems,” Gilmore said, urging the new governor to find solutions without “going right back into the taxpayers again.”
“I think that there is a real desire in the United States right now for change,” Gilmore said. “I think they tried for change with President Obama, they didn’t get it, they tried for change now both in New Jersey and Virginia and they may well vote for change in Massachusetts.”
McDonnell’s inauguration was particularly special for Del. Christopher K. Peace, R-Hanover, who for the first time will work with a Republican governor. He said he enjoyed working with then-Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, who did an “excellent job” managing the state.
But, “it’s not time for reminiscing,” Peace said. “We’re working with Bob and he’s going to create jobs and economic development, and I think he’s going to do a great job.”
House of Delegates Democrats, the minority party in the more numerous body, hope for a continuation of yesterday’s spirit of cooperation.
House Minority Leader Ward L. Armstrong, D-Henry, has known McDonnell for more than a decade.
“He’s held out the olive branch. He’s done that to me privately. He’s done that publicly,” Armstrong said. “I think that it behooves Democrats to want to try to work with him. And I hope . . . that the House Republican leadership will be mindful of that.”
Del. Joseph D. Morrissey, D-Henrico, the House minority whip, said he enjoyed McDonnell’s speech and that Democrats will hold him to his words.
“He talked about everything from pre-K education to higher education, and I’m going to remind my colleagues about that if there’s any suggestion to cut pre-K.”
Morrissey said he thinks McDonnell is genuine in his desire to have bipartisan support but noted that the governor doesn’t control the House Republicans.
“I look forward to working with him,” Morrissey said. “I’m giving everybody the benefit of the doubt right now.”
