No TV ads, no presidential visits: Virginia's era as a swing state appears to be over

[IronLionZion]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/virginia-not-a-swing-state/2020/09/18/9741e2e4-f843-11ea-89e3-4b9efa36dc64_story.html



RICHMOND — Barack Obama held the very last rally of his 2008 campaign in Virginia, the longtime Republican stronghold he flipped on his way to the White House.

Four years later, Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney made more visits and aired more television ads here than nearly anywhere else. And in 2016, Donald Trump staged rally after rally in the Old Dominion while Hillary Clinton picked a Virginian as her running mate.

But Virginia isn’t getting the swing-state treatment this time around. As in-person early voting got underway Friday, President Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden were dark on broadcast television. Super PACs were clogging somebody else’s airwaves. Even as Trump and Biden have resumed limited travel amid the coronavirus pandemic, neither has stumped in the Old Dominion.

“There’s really no discussion about the state being in play,” said Amy Walter, national editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. “If you’re Ohio or New Hampshire, or Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, you’ve always been in that spotlight. Virginia got it for such a short period of time.”

The last time presidential candidates stayed out of Virginia and off its airwaves was 2004. The state was reliably red then, having backed Republicans for the White House every year since 1968. Now Virginia seems to be getting the cold shoulder because it’s considered solidly blue.

Once a solid red state, Virginia is now a solid blue state. Let's do this with more states.

[soothsayer]

1. I dunno, I see Biden ads here. But yeah, true blue!

[dsc]

6. where in particular is here

I would imagine some VA markets would bleed heavily into NC which is getting ads out the wazoo.

[soothsayer]

8. Oh just outside DC. I forgot about the whole DMV, probably seeing that effect

But dumbass just tweeted plans for some rally in VA. Boonies I guess. Or an excuse to go to his dumb golf course.

[dsc]

10. I can't see what ads in DC would so other than get press coverage which would be the point.

[soothsayer]

11. Maybe they're for Maryland? Idk, I'm always heartened to see Joe

[Yavin4]

2. N.C. and GA are next, and that will change American politics forever.

Kamala Harris will have a brand new playing field open to her when she makes her run for the presidency.

[deepthought42]

4. Moved to NC this year

Made sure to get registered ASAP. Just got my mail in ballot yesterday! Excited to do my part; coming from MD I knew how my state was going to go (for which I'm grateful).

[IronLionZion]

3. Colorado, Nevada, Oregon have gotten bluer

And Dems lost West Virginia and Iowa, which are now red states.

PA, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota are now swing states. And Arizona, North Carolina, and somehow Obama won Indiana in 2008.

Florida has always been a swing state. It would be very interesting if Texas and Georgia became swing states.

[MaryMagdaline]

5. Benefits of going Blue - better government and no more obnoxious ads

[Amishman]

7. Tell me 20 years ago that VA would be solidly blue and PA would be the hot swing state

and I'd have laughed in your face

[Drunken Irishman]

9. Virginia and West Virginia literally swapped places.

Republicans never used to lose Virginia. Democrat's never used to lose West Virginia. Even Dukakis, in his landslide loss, won West Virginia by five points. Sure, Reagan won it in the 80s but it was solidly blue at every level.

Not anymore.

But Virginia's change has been more impressed. At least West Virginia has a Democratic senator. Republicans have been wiped out at every statewide race.

I love it.

North Carolina, Georgia and Arizona are next.

[Cha]

12. Thankfully Except for trump's Ugly Delusional tweet to

Virginia.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

13. K&R