Bob McDonnell’s Indictment A Fall From Grace For Former Governor

WAMU-FM, January 23, 2014

Stephen Farnsworth, a professor of political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washington, says that before the scandal, McDonnell was in an excellent position to make a push for the 2016 Republican nomination for president.

“Governor McDonnell really could have had it all in politics. He had a very successful four years as governor until this scandal. He passed a transportation bill that was the biggest bill in more than two decades. He was able to build a lot of support among moderate voters despite having very Christian, conservative oriented Republican perspective,” says Farnsworth.

Link to story

Virginia Board Certifies 165-Vote Win For Herring, But Recount Expected

WAMU-FM, November 25, 2013

The Virginia State Board of Elections is certified the results of the Nov. 5 election on Monday, making a recount in the tightly contested race for attorney general seems increasingly likely.

Although many people believe the recount has already started, that process has not been initiated. It hasn’t even been asked for yet, and Virginia has no automatic recount.

The canvas featured malfunctioning voting machines and uncounted provisional ballots. Now that that’s out of the way, the recount is likely to raise new issues.

“Even though a recount might not be likely to change the outcome at this stage, it can raise issues about making sure that the electoral process works better next time,” says Stephen Farnsworth, a professor at University of Mary Washington.

Link to article

The Libertarian in Virginia’s Race for Governor (USA Today)

An unknown this year is the impact of Libertarian Robert Sarvis, who has been in the high single digits in recent polling that also shows he is draining support from Cuccinelli. Sarvis left the Republican Party in 2011 after losing a state Senate race to Democrat Richard Saslaw, then the state Senate majority leader.

“Sarvis has been an effective ‘none of the above’ candidate,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg. “People might feel freer to vote for Sarvis.”

Scandals In Virginia Expose Weak Disclosure Laws
By: Michael Lee Pope, WAMU
October 16, 2013

In Virginia, the race for governor has become a confusing barrage of scandals.

First there was Star Scientific, a scandal hitting Republican Ken Cuccinelli. Then there was GreenTech a scandal that raised questions about Democrat Terry McAulliffe. But that was just the beginning. The latest development has to do with McAulliffe failing to disclose an investment in the venture of a Rhode Island estate planner who was later accused of defrauding terminally ill patients.

“This latest disclosure problem in Virginia reminds us all that the Swiss cheese of Virginia laws have even more holes than we thought they did,” says Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor with the University of Mary Washington.

He says the earlier scandals have already prompted a series of campaign promises about tightening Virginia’s disclosure laws when the General Assembly meets next session, and so the latest scandal might not be enough to change the dynamic of the race.

“An awful lot of people by mid-October have already decided which candidate they prefer. So the number of undecided voters out there shrinks with each day,” he says.

Link

Cuccinelli declines to defend McDonnell-backed law allowing state to take over failing schools

Published September 3, 2013

RICHMOND, Va. — Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has declined to defend one of Gov. Bob McDonnell’s signature education reform laws in court, saying he agrees with critics that it is unconstitutional.

The new law allows the state to take over chronically failing schools. It was a major and hotly contested component of McDonnell’s education agenda during the 2013 General Assembly…..

Stephen J. Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, noted that the constitutionality of the law was an issue during the legislative session.

“I suppose it’s nice when the stars align,” he said. “You have a legal reason for not doing something, a political reason for not doing something, which adds up to a candidate for governor not doing something. I would not ascribe entirely political motives to this step, but the timing is good.”

Link to article

By Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, August 7, 2013
On an otherwise serene Sunday recently, Virginia’s gubernatorial candidates were embroiled in the kind of needling and jabbing that is defining their race to lead the commonwealth.

The subject: whether Democrat Terry McAuliffe proved that he’s masquerading as a Virginian when he said a highway along the southern edge of the state — Route 58 — needs to be widened to four lanes.

“Grab the popcorn,” Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II’s team announced in an e-mail to reporters just after noon, promising the “World Premiere” of a video with a “new reminder” of McAuliffe’s “lack of Virginia knowledge.” Route 58, the Republicans insisted, is already four lanes. “Welcome to Virginia, Terry,” the video proclaims. McAuliffe’s team, in its own e-mail at 1:41 p.m., dismissed the film as “false” and accused Cuccinelli of caring “more about attacking his opponent than he does about the truth.”

Even by the standards of modern political combat, the race to succeed Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) is an ugly contest between two candidates who are devoting vast resources to disparaging each other as unsuited for the job…..

“We’re looking at the Washingtonization of Virginia politics,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a University of Mary Washington professor. “The nasty partisan attacks, the astonishing gridlock that marks the nation’s capital is increasingly the shape of Virginia, as well.

“If you want collisions, you’re living in the right time,” Farnsworth said, comparing the campaign to a NASCAR race. “But if you want a government capable of dealing with problems and coming up with solutions, maybe the car crashes aren’t so great.”

Link to story