Conservatives Defending Liberty

People know about the off year governors races in New Jersey and Virginia. They know that both are in states that went by large margins to Obama last year. They also know that it ain’t gonna be that way this year, the Obama party is over. In New Jersey you have Governor Jon Corzine, a millionaire who finds way to not pay any state income tax. A former US Senator who was handed the governors office upon leaving the senate, he even went so far as to have his own replacement lined up, how nice. He is also now the most unpopular governor in the nation. Did I mention he worked for Goldman Sachs. He is facing Chris Cristie a former US Attorney and the race is as close as possible. In Virginia its a little different, the current governor, a democrat is not on the ballot, the democrat in the race is Creigh Deeds who is trailing the republican Bob McDonnell by a good margin.

You may be saying so what, we already knew all that. True but if you were a democrat  in the house waiting to see what happens with the health care bill, and you were on the line about which way to go, you might not see it that way. You see if I was a democrat who was concerned about my vote and what it might do to me in my home district, I would look very closely at these races. For democrats to loose in blue states only 10 months into Obama’s term sends a loud message to democrats in vulnerable seats doesn’t it? It could be seen as a referendum on Obama and the Congressional Democrats couldn’t it? These democrats in the house, they are going to have to vote on an unpopular bill, a very unpopular bill. They know that if Obama can’t save these two governors in blue states, the chances of them getting re-elected just got worse if they vote for the bill. If Obama can’t rescue them with the Democratic Machine, they are in real trouble at home with health care. The outcome in these two races could easily set the tone for what the house vote count looks like.

46 of the democrats in the house are sitting in districts won by John McCain, 60 of them are in districts won by George Bush. For Southern democrats this is especially true. If Virginia falls to the GOP, those “moderate” or “blue dog” democrats  from southern states will have to think long and hard about walking out in traffic for Pelosi. Because the bus is right around the corner and they know it and its gonna hurt when they get tossed under it. New Jersey is a completely different story. New Jersey is one of the bluest states in the country, the fact that only in the past two weeks has the race closed in, tells people things are not looking good for the democrats. Obama tried to distance himself from the Virginia race last weekend by having his stooges plant stories on how Deeds would not follow the White House directions. This was simple face saving by Obama in a race were it looks like the state house is going republican. He threw Deeds overboard fast and other vulnerable democrats saw that. In New Jersey he along with Bill Clinton and any other liberal they can find are out holding rally after rally trying to get Corzine across the finish line. In a state where 60% plus say they are democrats, that’s a real problem for them.

Where this all goes to is that the races in two off year state contests could very easily determine how health care will come out of congress for the entire country. If democrats in congress feel a cold wind blowing at them, they could decide to come back inside and sit down by the fire. If they know Obama can’t save them, it will change how they vote, period. The tide has changed against Obama, these two races are not about Virginia and New Jersey alone, they have become a statement by Americans about how they feel about their government. Obama winning swept in a lot of democrats, coat tails as they call it. Now Obama is acting like a broom, he could be sweeping them out just as fast as he brought them in, only time will tell. One thing is for sure, the health care debate and vote is close, anything that makes democrats understand that they need to listen to the people who sent them there and not just their party, is a good thing. It should be interesting to see what happens if two new GOP governors get elected, by Wednesday of Thursday of next week, very interesting indeed.