Victory was Deedily done

There’s a strong strain of hometown pride in state Sen. Creigh Deeds’ upset victory this week in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

Sure, Mr. Deeds lives in Bath County. But his sprawling district — legacy of gerrymandering — includes all of Char-lottesville and part of Albemarle County; his campaign headquarters for Election Night were in Charlottesville.

Mr. Deeds’ nomination is noteworthy on several counts.

Often described as a “country lawyer” in the big media, Mr. Deeds assuredly cannot claim a geographic advantage.

The heavily urbanized Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads and Richmond areas are held to be Virginia’s most powerful political enclaves. They contain large populations whose voting power often proves decisive in elections and in the General Assembly.

But Mr. Deeds soundly trounced two Northern Virginia residents — Terry McAuliffe, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee; and Brian Moran, former state House Democratic Caucus leader — winning with nearly 50 percent of the vote.

During the campaign, the country senator turned his background into an asset. A comment during his acceptance speech is typical: “Only in the commonwealth of Virginia, can a mother who still works as a mail carrier in Bath County send her son off to college with four $20 bills in his pocket — that was all — and have her son be standing be-fore you as the Democratic nominee ...”

Mr. Deeds also cannot claim a funding advantage.

The wealthy, well-connected Mr. McAuliffe — he was Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman last year — dominated the fundraising race. Mr. Moran was no slouch, either. Mr. Deeds raised far less money than either of his opponents, and at one point had to lay off campaign workers. He often drove himself to campaign appearances, whereas other candidates employed drivers and handlers.

Some observers of politics in our democracy have lamented the influence of big money, which pays for mass media messages to woo the public. The senator’s victory belies the belief that money always steers politics.

Mr. Deeds’ persona as the “country lawyer” with the shoestring campaign was more than just image, of course — it was reality. But it was a reality that seemed to play well with the public.

And despite his seeming lack of connectedness to big money and big influence, Mr. Deeds was not unknown. He has spend recent years building recognition statewide. His run four years ago for attorney general resulted in a defeat, but a narrow one — the slimmest election margin in modern Virginia history.

His may turn out to be the classic story of a loss serving as a stepping stone to higher achievements. That loss did not appear to damage his prospects, but rather gave him the name recognition he will need in this, his next run for statewide office.

And in an interesting twist of fate, the gubernatorial race will pit him against the same man who bested him so narrowly in the election for attorney general, Bob McDonnell.

The Daily Progress will endorse in the governor’s race come fall.

In the meantime, we — and the voters — look forward with relish to an exciting campaign between these two nominees.