by Karl Kurtz
Most of the action in Virginia's primary election this past Tuesday was in the Republican party in the Senate. In a deliberate effort to change the balance of power within the party, four moderate incumbent senators who had worked with Democratic governors to raise taxes were challenged by conservatives. Two of them, Martin E. Williams (chair of the transportation committee) and J. Brandon Bell II were defeated, while two others, including Senate majority leader Walter Stosch, survived.
At the same time three other veteran senators, including President John Chichester, chose not to run again. Primary contests to fill their seats showed mixed results between moderates and conservatives.
Republicans control the Virginia Senate by a margin of 23-17 over Democrats. There is some speculation after the election that Democrats may have a shot at taking control as a result of the losses by moderate Republicans. The more conservative House of Delegates is regarded as less vulnerable with a 60-40 Republican margin.
Washington Post newspaper stories on the election include "Moderates Defeated in Va. Primary" and "Va. Republicans Fear Party Party Split Might Worsen." In the Richmond Times-Dispatch see "Will GOP moderates' losses aid Democrats?". For a run-down on all Senate races in November see the blog, 750 Volts. To get the flavor of the intensity of some of the conflict in the primary see the blogs, Bacon's Rebellion and Not Larry Sabato.
Virginia's nominating system is curious. Local parties in each legislative district have the choice of a primary election or a convention system to pick their candidates. If they choose the primary, it is an open primary with Democrats allowed to vote in Republican races and vice versa. Conventions, however, are closed so that only registered voters of the party are allowed to participate. The conventions are not necessarily held on the same day as the primary. I don't remember ever hearing of a local option nomination process like this.
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