Leaders give Dems a pep talk

STAUNTON – Virginia Democrats were told Saturday by leaders not to dwell on the November statewide defeats, but to regroup and come back with the same energy that allowed the party to win two U.S. Senate seats this decade and capture gubernatorial races in 2001 and 2005.

“The other side was more energized,’’ said Gov. Timothy Kaine to a meeting of the state party’s central committee at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel and Conference Center. “After losing four years in a row those guys felt like they had their backs against the wall. And after winning four years in a row, we felt things were going pretty good and we did not have the same kind of lean hungry attitude that we have had in the past.”

Virginia Democrats listened to Kaine while heavy snow accumulated outside the Stonewall Jackson Hotel. The governor told the diehards they should look at where the party is as compared to where it was.

Both U.S. senators are Democrats and the Virginia Congressional delegation has a 6-5 Democratic majority. There is also a slim Democratic majority in the Virginia Senate.

“We’ve got more people on the field and a higher platform to rebuild off of than in the history of the party,’’ Kaine said.

Prior to his speech, Kaine said the recipe for more Democratic victories is to continue showing that they are the party of results that includes assuring that Virginia is the best state for business, the best managed state in America and the best state to raise a child. These are all honors earned during Kaine’s term of office.

Del. Ward Armstrong, minority leader of the Virginia House, said there are lessons to be learned from the Democratic November defeats for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.

“Now is the time for us to remind ourselves that it is a constant work in progress to be a Democrat and run these elections,’’ he said.

Armstrong, D-Collinsville, also served notice that Gov.-elect Robert F. McDonnell should not expect to always get his way when taking office next month.

“Yes we will work with Bob McDonnell and the Republicans on the other side of the aisle. But when they are wrong we will tell them so,’’ he said.

Defeated Democratic gubernatorial nominee Creigh Deeds spoke briefly to the crowd. He began a 1-minute speech by saying “we lost and I’ll take responsibility for that.”

“But it does not mean you are defeated and it does not mean you are wrong,’’ he said. Deeds said the Democratic Party is still the majority party and still must represent children, senior citizens, the sick and the disabled.

“We lost the election but the fight goes on,’’ he said.

Kaine said Democrats need to rebound next month when a special election is held in Fairfax County to fill the 37th District Senate seat left vacant by Virginia Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli.

“This is where it starts,’’ Kaine said. “This is where we show Democrats will be as energized or more energized than Republicans. This is where we get the momentum going.”

The Jan. 12 special election in the 37th Senate District pits Democratic Del. Dave Marsden against Republican Steve Hunt.