Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

I Voted — Did You?

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by

James A. Bacon
in

I strolled into the Tuckahoe Elementary School in Henrico County around 9:15 a.m. to exercise the mother of all civic rights and vote. There were no lines. Voting took about two minutes. One poll attendant said that only 120 people had voted so far, compared to 500 or more during the presidential election at the same point in time. The turn-out, it appears, will be as light as the experts have been predicting. The winners in the hotly contested primaries will be not be those who garner wide support but those who motivate a loyal core of supporters.

One thing I learned a long time ago, however, was never to predict the outcome of elections, so you’ll see no such forecasts from me.

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  1. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    From Not Larry Sabato’s blog:

    Not Larry Sabato said…
    I just had a Dem source tell me on the phone that the 67th felt like 75% Craddock at the polls this morning. Craddock is standing at this poll declaring “Jesus has brought these voters to me”. That is a direct quote, my source had a cell phone and I heard it myself.

    Wow.

  2. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    If he did bring the voters to him all the better. Getting rid of Reese is in my opinion most important. Even if Chris does not win in the fall.

  3. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    So…let me get this straight – did Satan bring Reese’s voters? Or did Jesus just help Craddock but leave Reese alone.

    Or maybe Jesus helped Reese but helped Craddock a bit more.

    Or it’s possible that Jesus helped Craddock’s volunteers but not Reese’s volunteers. Or maybe he blessed Craddock’s campaign manager and not Reese’s.

    Either way, God’s plan (the one that he concocted 4000 years ago) is very mysterious to me, and hopefully Delegate Craddock will be able to explain it.

  4. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    With Underwood as his consultant, Reese will lose tonight.
    So I guess with a consultant from the under …

  5. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Are you equating underwood with Satan????

  6. Steven Avatar
    Steven

    Maybe, Chris was just thankful for the support and voters. There’s nothing wrong with giving thanks and praising the Lord. After all, Craddock is an Evangelical.

    In other news…

    I voted last week, Tuesday, due to the fact I’m working the graveyard shift. At the time, only 24-absentee votes had been cast — 23-Republican, 1-Democrat.

    ~the blue dog

  7. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    Steve:

    Must you spin for the Republicans 24/7? Of course there’s nothing wrong with thanking the Lord. There’s nothing wrong with saying something like “God looked down favorably on me today” or something like that.

    But what kind of meglomaniac says “Jesus has brought these votes to me”???

  8. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    First I highly question the voracity of the quote despite NLS’s claim he heard it on a cell phone.

    Second, even if it were true, there’s nothing about it that would make him a megalomaniac. If Craddock is a true faithful believe, he would understand all blessings in his life to come from God (Jesus in this case). So, I view this as nothing more than a statement of his faith. Th real question is, did Jesus bring him enough votes to win, or did he bring more votes for Reese?

  9. Steven Avatar
    Steven

    If I’m spinning, it’s for Jesus, not the Pubs.

    I give thanks to Jesus Christ everyday for his grace, love, salvation and so much more. That’s just an affirmation of faith… like the blogger ‘anon’ has suggested. Craddock probably prays for Reese and many others as well.

    You’re both reading way to much into it — as a partisan political issue.

  10. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Well, if Jesus took it upon Himself to send all of Craddock’s voters then…

    Who sent Reese’s voters? Satan?

    Or are Reese’s voters just not looked upon favorably by God?

    Maybe all of Reese’s voters don’t get to go to heaven because they didn’t listen when Jesus said “Vote for Craddock today.”

  11. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    Steve:

    Fine. Nothing wrong with spinning for Jesus:)!

    But, as someone who thinks the Democratic party is too secular and obnoxious on religious issues…Craddock represents the opposite extreme…arrogance and the belief that God has chosen you is pretty annoying as well. We’ll never know what God has in store for us, and we shouldn’t assume that he’s behind our little victories…(I say “little victories” because Caputo is going to take Craddock to town…)

  12. subpatre Avatar
    subpatre

    Jesus may have brought voters to Craddock, and Jesus may have brought others to vote for Reese. I don’t believe the Christian religion (in general) regards the world as a zero-sum event; ie. any good must be balanced by evil.

    Though not following this particular race, the odds against Craddock were high. Craddock is (was!) an outsider and dark-horse: only 26 years old, never held any civic leadership or elected office before, taking on an ‘establishment’ incumbent. Even with 50% more money, on the surface it was not great odds.

    As always, results are at the State Board of Elections website, updated every three minutes. Looks like about 7% turnout statewide.

  13. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Perhaps Jesus brought Craddock his voters so that the Democrats could win the district in November.

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