We need both winners, losers

Dare we say it? Republican Bob McDonnell won Vir-ginia’s governorship by borrowing a strategy from that arch-Democrat Bill Clinton.
It’s the economy, stupid.
Virginia voters aren’t stupid. They did give Mr. McDonnell a mandate to focus on the commonwealth’s lagging economy.
Attracted on one side by Mr. McDonnell’s message about growing jobs and guarding tax revenue, and repelled on the other by President Obama’s debt-swelling policies and disappointing stimulus program, they swept Republicans into the three top state offices in Tuesday’s election.
That’s notable in Virginia, where voters are strongly independent-minded and often mix Democrats in with Republicans for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general — or vice versa. A sweep may be common in other states, but not here.
Now, however, Virginia will be led by three Republicans at the top, working with a GOP-strengthened House of Delegates. The state Senate, where no posts were up for election, retains a narrow, two-person majority for the Democrats.
Virginia and New Jersey were the only states electing governors this year, and the two races were closely watched as barometers of approval for President Obama.
Both states last year went for the Obama-Biden ticket, with the help of independent voters. This year, according to exit polls, many independents switched to the GOP. The loss of these independent voters is widely, and correctly, seen as signaling dissatisfaction with the administration’s policies — including expensive business bailouts and the spending of billions of dollars of stimulus money to achieve a “jobless recovery.” These policies and others are deepening the national debt beyond sustainable levels.
Meanwhile, in acknowledging defeat, Democrat R. Creigh Deeds uttered a line worth noting: “Just because we didn’t get the right result tonight doesn’t mean we can go home and whine.”
That’s the right attitude not only for the gubernatorial candidate, but for all who strove for public office but missed the brass ring this time around, and for their supporters.
Virginia is going to need all the heart, soul and intellect her citizens can bring to the debate in order to find solutions we can agree on regarding today’s economic recession.
That goes on the local level, too. This area produced an appealing group of candidates, at all levels, and while some very good people won, some very good people were defeated. We hope they will stay involved in politics and civic service, despite their disappointment. The area needs their intellect, heart and energy brought to bear on local problems.
Our congratulations go to the winners, along with our best wishes for them to find wisdom and stamina to guide us through the challenges ahead.