Donald Trump was the big loser in Virginia

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Donald Trump was the big loser in Virginia


https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2017/11/07/politics/n...index.html

Donald Trump was the big loser in Virginia
Analysis by Chris Cillizza, CNN Editor-at-large

Updated 9:25 PM EST, Tue November 07, 2017


So, why? Why did a race that most polling suggested was tightening -- in Gillespie's favor -- wind up not being all that close? The obvious -- and right -- answer is Trump.

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Trump, of course, distanced himself from the loss almost immediately. He tweeted just after 8:40 p.m. ET:


"Ed Gillespie worked hard but did not embrace me or what I stand for. Don't forget, Republicans won 4 out of 4 House seats, and with the economy doing record numbers, we will continue to win, even bigger than before!"


And, there will be a segment of Republicans who believe it because, well, they believe anything and everything Trump says. But that won't make it true.

But, the simple fact when you look at turnout patterns in places like Chesterfield and Loudoun, is that the lots of Virginia voters -- including some decent chunk of establishment GOPers -- jumped at the chance to send Trump a very clear message that they didn't like what he was selling. They didn't like it at all.

That is a message that Republicans in targeted districts and states will get loud and clear from Tuesday's vote in Virginia. The problem they will face is this: Trump and Trumpism is clearly a problem with general electorates but the President remains an extremely popular figure within the most conservative elements of the GOP, who tend to decide primary nominations. (Remember that Gillespie almost loss his primary against a little regarded GOP opponent who ran as a Trump clone.)

That conundrum is going to be hugely problematic for Republicans as they try to navigate between primaries over the next 10 months and the 2018 general election. To win the GOP nomination, you have to hew as closely to Trump as possible. But, once you win, that close connection -- or even a not-so-close connection -- can doom you among swing voters.

Square peg. Round circle.

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