Ken Cuccinelli’s campaign for governor of Virginia is, so far, a worrying disappointment to Republicans who like to win things. It’s been more than two months since he led Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic nominee, in any poll. McAuliffe, who scared other Democrats out of the race in part because of his fundraising prowess, raised $7 million over the summer while Cuccinelli, well, didn’t. Today, when Quinnipiac released a survey putting Cuccinelli’s unfavorable rating at 51 percent, the campaign announced it this way to donors:
With less than 50 days to go between now and Election Day, I’d like to share with you some important news. A new poll out today shows that the race is locked in a dead heat as Ken Cuccinelli continues to build momentum and gain support across the Commonwealth.
Because of grassroots leaders like you, more and more voters are realizing that there’s only one candidate in this race with a substantive vision for moving our Commonwealth forward and a long history of fighting for Virginia.
No mention of the poll, no link, probably because it revealed Cuccinelli rising from 41 percent support to 42 percent support. This is all apart from the minor incident that marred a Tea Party-themed Constitution Day rally yesterday, where John Whitbeck, the 10th Congressional District Republican Committee chairman, preceded the day’s stars by telling this zinger about a Jewish leader giving the pope a giant bill.
The Cuccinelli campaign denounced Whitbeck’s joke—and, hey, you can’t control everyone who speaks at your rallies. It’s not like picking the sorts of people you associate with at fundraisers.
[Jeb] Bush is the “special guest” at the Sept. 17 event at the home of former Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.). Among those listed on the host committee are former Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne and his wife, Republican Governors Association honcho Fred Malek and Crossroads co-founder Ed Gillespie.
Yes, Fred Malek, known to Slate readers as “Nixon’s Jew counter,” hosting a fundraiser on the same day as this rally.
