Virginia parties gear for collision course

A year ago, Virginia Democrats were celebrating the first statewide victory by a presidential candidate in 44 years with Barack Obama’s win in Old Dominion.

This weekend, when Virgnia Democrats hold a two-day quarterly meeting in Staunton with a star-studded cast led by Sens. Mark Warner and Jim Webb and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, the feeling will be different.

Democrats are nursing their wounds after losing all three statewide races to Republicans in November.

Warner, Webb and Kaine are all expected to speak Saturday morning during the Democratic Central Committee meeting at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel and Conference Center.

The Republicans are eager to capitalize on the momentum.

While the Democrats meet in Staunton, Republicans will hold their annual advance this weekend in Williamsburg, keynoted by Gov.-elect Robert F. McDonnell.

“I haven’t seen this level of enthusiasm since 1993 with George Allen,’’ said state GOP spokesman Tim Murtaugh.

Murtaugh said Republicans hope to erase the narrow 6-5 Democratic lead in Virginia’s congressional delegation and take the majority in the 2010 elections.

Murtaugh credits McDonnell with the Republican revival.

“Everything flows from the guy at the top of the ticket,’’ he said. “Bob McDonnell is a clear-minded, dedicated and hard-working candidate. The level of organization in his campaign flows from the characteristics he as a person has.”

Democrats must counter the momentum generated by McDonnell with legislative alternatives when the General Assembly starts in January, said Quentin Kidd, a Christopher Newport University political scientist.

If McDonnell pushes his transportation plan, Democrats should have an alternative, Kidd said.

“They should push the agenda McDonnell ran on. If that happens, both sides will be doing well in an environment where the budget won’t allow anything else,” Kidd said.

But for now, Republicans are going to enjoy an end to statewide loses in elections.

Republican Sen. Mark Obenshain will greet visitors in Williamsburg this weekend at the appropriately titled Sweet Victory Suite.

Obenshain said after this weekend, it will be time to buckle down for next year’s elections.

“There is no rest for the weary,’’ Obenshain said. The Rockingham County senator said he knows Democrats’ feeling.

“We’ve done a good job of trying to correct our course and steer a more consistent course of focusing on jobs and the economy,’’ Obenshain said.

Waynesboro Republican Committee Chairman Chris Darden said it is important to keep the momentum going.

“We have some great candidates to run in the future,’’ he said.

Kidd likens the Republican task to a college football team that has won the conference championship and is preparing for a bowl game.

The bowl game begins in January when McDonnell takes office and the General Assembly session starts.

“In January, they [Republicans] have to govern and be in charge of a state in a financially tough position.”