Cautionary Tale

by digby

Howie on former netroots candidate, Larry Kissel.

I’m afraid what Kissell has done was confuse himself about what happened in Virginia Tuesday. The conservative Democrat, Creigh Deeds, got up during a debate and said he would opt out of the public option if he were elected. The result wasn’t to make Republicans– the only ones who support that position– vote for him. They voted for the Republican, of course. But what killed Deeds– and what will kill Kissell and cowards like him– is that Democrats get turned off by this kind of bullshit. Bush won NC-08 in 2000 and in 2004. But Obama beat McCain 53-47%– considerably better than he did statewide. And Kissell beat the incumbent, Robin Hayes, 55-45%.

Next year, Kissell– who has a reputation as an abysmal fundraiser, and won’t get a dime from the netroots ever again– is being challenged by retired Army Col. Lou Huddleston. Huddleston and GOP front groups will call Kissell a Nancy Pelosi clone no matter how he votes and no matter what he does. Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh fans are not going to vote for Larry Kissell. And if he follows through with his threats to vote against health care reform, neither will Democrats, just the way they didn’t come out to vote for Deeds in Virginia.

These “moderate” Dems really are so impressed with the Creigh Deeds strategy that they plan to run on it in 2010. Smart as a whip.

.