We're about to get the 1st GOP election test in the post-Trump era
... State Sen. Amanda Chase is a far-right Republican who promoted the lies about cheating in the 2020 election and has affiliated herself with supporters of the QAnon conspiracy theory and attracted support from militia members. Two close supporters of hers, who appeared next to her when she announced her candidacy, were arrested outside a Philadelphia vote-counting location after the fall election, carrying concealed weapons on them and possessing 160 rounds of ammunition in their vehicle. They have been charged with an attempt to interfere with elections and with conspiracy.
Chase called on Trump to declare martial law so he could overturn his defeat at the hands of Joe Biden.
Chase has been considered a legitimate threat to win the Republican nomination, although in Virginia — where a Republican has not won a statewide race since 2009 — she was widely considered to have no shot at winning the general election and becoming governor.
But the Virginia GOP’s decision to use ranked-choice voting in choosing a nominee on May 8 has cut down her chances significantly. The party used ranked-choice voting to choose its chairman last summer.
In a regular primary, which Chase pushed for, a candidate can win the nomination with less than 50 percent of the vote. All they need is a plurality. So Chase could have won 30 or 40 percent of the vote and gained the nomination as three more mainstream candidates split the other 60 to 70 percent. That is similar to how Trump himself won the GOP nomination for president in 2016 despite winning less than half the votes cast in the Republican primary.
But with ranked-choice voting, a candidate must get a majority to win the nomination.
Here’s how it works: Voters don’t select just one candidate. They list their preferences in order, and if none of the candidates gets 50.1 percent, then, in essence, the candidate who gets the most first-place and second-place votes will win....
My impression of ranked-choice voting is positive. That doesn't change because it benefits the Repugs in this one race, and seeing a wingnut Trumpette get torched is always a good thing. I still expect the Dem to win given Virginia political shift over the last few years.
"Unlike other state governors, Virginia governors are not allowed to serve consecutive terms," so possible blackface Ralph Northam is out.
The
Dem primary includes:
Jennifer Carroll Foy - Former state delegate for the 2nd district (2018–2020)
Lee J. Carter - Delegate for the 50th district (2018–present)
Justin Fairfax - Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (2018–present)
Terry McAuliffe - Governor of Virginia (2014–2018), chair of the Democratic National Committee (2001–2005)[9]
Jennifer McClellan - State senator for the 9th district (2017–present)
Black man, Black woman, White woman, 2 White men. I don't think they're doing ranked-choice voting, so a plurality winner - White male McAuliffe according to
Polling - will be the nominee. Anyone remember if he was good or not?
:
"I need your clothes, your boots, and your motorcycle." "I'll be back."
They're a nutty bunch for sure. But Southwest VA, as well as my area of east TN is as trumpy and nutty as anywhere in the country. And they're proud of it.
