John Brownlee’s bad weekend

I was not able to make the RPV Advance.  Like many eastern Virginians, the Homestead is too far away and too remote for me.  Kudos to the folks who could get there.

If Shaun Kenney’s account is even remotely accurate, Jeff Frederick had a bad weekend, but not nearly as bad as John Brownlee’s was.  I say that – acknowledging it will upset my friends on the Brownlee side – for two reasons.

The most obvious, but not the most damaging in my view, is the result of the RPV straw poll.  I know the Brownlee commenters are talking up the fact that they denied Ken Cuccinelli a majority (they should talk to the campaign itself, which really looked silly in its release on the matter – Crystal Clear Conservative), but this was an event held in the heart of Brownlee’s regional base – roughly three hours from the base of the other two candidates – and he couldn’t get even 40%.  I honestly thought Brownlee would winthe straw poll, given his regional advantage (Ron Paul had a similar advantage at last year’s NoVa advance, as I explain here).  This poll clearly makes Cuccinelli the favorite (I had perceived Brownlee as such until this weekend).

That said, the bigger problem for Brownlee came courtesy of . . . John Brownlee, i.e., his performance in Saturday’s debate.

Again, based on Shaun’s account, Brownlee actually came out in favor of price controls as part of some “consumer rights” kick.  Prior to that, when given a heaven-sent opportunity on HB3202, Brownlee refused to oppose the now-junked tax increases.  Sure he needled Cuccinelli for supporting the Howell version of HB3202 (which Ken himself has admitted was a mistake, and one for which he made up in the special session), but his authoritative phrase – “If you’re going to raise taxes stand up and say that’s what you are doing” – (Jason Kenney @BD) makes my blood run cold (If you’re going to raise taxes, sit down and don’t run as a Republican!).

Foster’s answer was just as bad, creating the unique irony that the only fellow in the race who voted for a tax increase (Cuccinelli) still has the best position on taxes.  All Brownlee or Foster had to do was say, in effect, “HB3202 stunk because it raised taxes, period.”  If either had, they would have won the room and probably won the straw poll.  Instead, they played the establishment line and left it to Cuccinelli to pick up the anti-tax-increase standard.

I know Brownlee’s people are fixated on his history as a prosecutor, but his instinct for bringing government power into the economy (best revealed by the price controls remark) is disturbing.  Lest we forget, the only Virginia Republican to win more the 50% of the vote in a statewide election since 2002 was Bill Bolling, who never supported a tax increase until two years after his election in 2005 (like Cuccinelli, it was HB3202, and like him, he has returned to the anti-tax-hike side).

Brownlee’s refusal to support limited government on economic issues is exactly what has put the Republican Party of Virginia in its current mess.  His message will do nothing to win over the voters who have left the Virginia GOP since 2001.  Moreover, as word gets out about this debate and what he said, more and more Virginia Republicans I suspect will be skittish about him.

Make no mistake, I’d vote for John Brownlee over either of the two aspirants from which the Democrats will choose as their nominee, but I’m no longer so certain Brownlee would beat either of them.  In fact, I don’t think he’ll get the chance.