In a celebratory mood, Virginia Republican activists hailed their conquering heroes yesterday after several years of discouraging defeats.

“Isn’t it great to have an Advance where we can actually celebrate?” said Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling. “The last few years have been like wakes.”
“We’re happy, hopeful and energized,” said Del. Benjamin L. Cline, R-Amherst, who for the first time carried the college town of Lexington.

…..

McDonnell, who drew a standing ovation and loud huzzahs, spelled out why he thought the VRepublicans won: “We stuck to our conservative principles, while providing practical solutions.”

McDonnell said voters wanted solutions to the everyday economic problems confronting them, and the Republicans offered those solutions. McDonnell said that by 2014, when he leaves office as Virginia’s 71st governor, he wants Virginia to be the energy capital of the East Coast; government to be careful about spending taxpayers’ money; more “privatization, innovation and consolidation;” merit pay for teachers; and all highway rest stops reopened.

The Post was also there on Day One:

Tonight was mostly about socializing.

Republicans walked from one hospitality suite to another where they sipped drinks from open bars, munched on cheese and crackers and picked up more stickers.

Most suites were hosted by 2010 congressional candidates including Scott Rigell , Ken Golden and Ben Loyola who are vying to replace U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye (D) and Feda Kidd Morton running for U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello’s (D) seat. Keith Fimian, who is opposing U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly for a second time, also made the trip.

And Day Two:

McDonnell, visibly relaxed and seven pounds heavier since the election, individually thanked many of his supporters and volunteers.

“The Republican resurgence has begun in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” he said.

McDonnell talked about how Republicans won the election — by offering solutions to everyday problems — but his loudest applause came when he promised to uphold the conservative issues he rarely talked about on the trail.

“I was a pro-life attorney general for Virginia and I will be a pro-life governor,” he said. “I was a Second Amendment attorney general for Virginia, and I will be a Second Amendment governor.”

As I mentioned, the Dems held a meeting, but the mood wasn’t nearly the same for Creigh Deeds’ victory, I tried my best guys, I really did, I’m sorry speech. From the WaPo:

Looking rested and wearing an open collar shirt under his blazer, Deeds was greeted warmly by his fellow Democrats and spent long moments huddled with longtime senate pals Mary Margaret Whipple and Dick Saslaw. The crowd of more than 100 gave Deeds a standing ovation when Gov. Tim Kaine recognized Deeds as “one of the finest people I know in public life.”

Still, quietly, a few activists said they blame Deeds for the breadth of the party’s losses in November, believing his hesitancy to embrace the agenda of Democrats at the national level left the party unenthusiastic about his effort.

And of course, leave it up to Virginia Democrats to throw more bad after bad:

With many party members convinced November’s losses came because Democratic office seekers did not clearly enough set out policy positions that distinguished them from Republicans, the party took the unusual step of adopting a resolution on a policy issue: With little discussion the central committee voted to encourage all of Virginia’s Democratic members of Congress to support a health care reform bill that includes a public option.

Seriously?? Adopt THAT in a part of the state that CLEARLY repudiated you? When the Republicans just succesfully reamed you by showing what a charade your “reform” package is? Of course, in their words of their House leader:

“A lot of it was apprehension about what’s going on in Washington, make no mistake about it,” Armstrong said.”People say they want change–right up to the moment it shows up.”

That’s right–If I ordered a $20 dollar steak and got a bill for $100, I’d be pretty pissed off too.

But perhaps my favorite line comes from the WaPo blog’s preview of the weekend: “GOP prepares to Celebrate, Dems to Commiserate“

My thoughts below the fold

–Bob Goodlatte gave the invocation. The event has been held in Bath County, part of his district, in three of the last five years. He got a fairly warm reception, but he continues to be on the most underrated members of our delegation (And why not, when the Minority Whip is from the Commonwealth), so its nice to see him get some limelight. Goodlatte is likely a shoe-in to chair Judiciary if we take back the House in 2010.

–NOVA is back in a big big way. Incoming Delegate Jim LeMunyon gave the pledge of allegiance, and most of the individual plaudits that went out where to NOVA people–indeed, Glen Caroline, LCRC Chair, won Chairman of the Year, and Fairfax won best unit. Even though Bob McDonnell thanked many, MANY people, NOVA was first up for recognition. There won’t be a big statewide fight until 2012–and even that may be preempted if Allen jumps in for a rematch against Webb–so it’s too early to tell just what NOVA’s strength is, but I suspect there will be at least one Northern Virginia leader on the statewide ticket in 2013.

–Also back in a big way–RPV itself. Mullins himself noted RPV’s turnaround, Tim Murtaugh’s efforts on behalf of the campaign were highlighted, and Northern Virginia field rep (and I mean that in a broad way–his territory stretches all the way to Shenandoah County) Frank Puelo, one of the hardest working men in Virginia politics, was personally singled out by Bob McDonnell. The Advance itself took in over $160k–and Pat Mullins was sure to note that when he rode into town RPV was barely able to pay the bills.

–Highlighted during the lunch–the infamous Dirty Deeds video, which was taken down from YouTube (presumably over copyright issues). Though it was only up for a short time, the video and the meme went a long way in framing Deeds as a desperate candidate sticking to divisive issues and devoid of positive ideas for Virginia.

–Ken Cuccinelli got a warm welcome–particularly from Augusta County, who he singled out. Though Augusta County’s grassroots activists are still split over local intraparty squabbles, the unit continues to be a powerhouse and was a key reason that the 6th went big for Ken Cuccinelli at the 2009 Convention despite it ostensibly being John Brownlee’s stomping grounds. Ken’s speech was mostly a thank you, and he yielded the spotlight in favor of a private session later in the day with activists discussing the reasons for our big wins this year.

–Bill Bolling spoke next and got an equally warm welcome. It’s too early to start any speculation on early jockeying for 2013, but one thing is clear: Bill Bolling is NOT going to let anyone forget that he made an amazing sacrifice by sparing the party a fight by not running in 2009.

–One critique for Bolling–be careful quoting “The Candidate.” It is a beautiful film about politics, but not beautiful in the way that Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is. Rather, it takes a scathing satirical look at the devolution of politics into soundbites, spin, and personality–years before the advent of the 24 hour news cycle and bloggers. It’s a cautionary tale for idealistic people running for office–and maybe not the sort of film we want to reference right now.

–The final speech was from the big guy: Governor-elect Bob McDonnell. McDonnell’s speech was again long on thank yous, but he also spent some time analyzing the reasons behind the team’s victory. He unveiled a new code word for the principles that he ran on: results oriented conservatism, or ROC. Will this catch on as a big new catchphrase? Doubtful, but McDonnell laid out perhaps the most eloquent explanation of his view of conservatism and how we can win again in 2010.”Conservatives can win elections in competitive states if they stay true to their principles while addressing the concerns that everyday….voters care about,” McDonnell said.

–McDonnell made clear, to this crowd, that he was going to be a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, pro-family, pro-property rights governor–but he noted that while we should never forget these principles, we should also never forget that citizens need results

–McDonnell also provided a bit of the bold policy agenda he will pusure as governor by highlighting what he hopes people will remember when he leaves office in 2014. Consider this his pre-inaugural address:

• Balanced budgets that respect taxpayers and prioritize economic development
• Education reform via charter schools
• True privatization, consolidation, and reform
• A transportation plan that gets things done
• Privatized liquor stores and open rest stops

–McDonnell reached out for people to help. Might we see those massive email lists switch over to the Opportunity Virginia PAC to serve as an Organizing for America-esque pressure group?

What we’re hearing:

–Mark Obenshain’s suite featured only coffee and sweets and is getting a bit less attention than others (Edit: as someone who is over alcohol in politics, I find this to be a refreshing departure)

–Eric Cantor’s suite is packing them in. Other Congresscritters in attendance: Forbes, Wittman, and Goodlatte–wait a second–the whole dang delegation is there! (Edit: Forgot Wolf! Will verify if he was around) They’re all usual suspects….still waiting word on if any contenders from the 5th outside of Morton showed up

–Krystle’s post may have very little to do with the Advance, but it still makes me feel downright alright about occasionally “shopping” (read: buying Red Bull from the corner store) in flip flops and flannel pants. As long as it leads to you all enjoying this blog, I’m alright with it. I couldn’t agree more with her thesis (despite the fact that I am on the opposite end of both the gender and size spectrum from Lady Krystle)

Ok, enough of my insane ramblings. On to my very real thoughts about the coming weekend. First, some background on the event. It was started by former Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Donald S. Huffman, who served from 1983 to 1992. The event is an annual gathering of Republican activists to both discuss the past election’s results (there’s one every year in Virginia) as well as to prepare for the coming year. One would think this of this as a retreat, right? Well, Huffman and the original organizers were of the mind that the GOP should never retreat but always “advance.”

Quaint, yes, but the event has become an annual affair where people are always on the lookout for who is jockeying for position. The hospitality suites themselves have become the stuff of news, as who hosts them (and their respective crowds) is seen as a marker of who’s up and who’s down. Also noticed are the various speeches which have a tendency to set the tone for policy debates about to occur in the coming General Assembling session.

SWAC Girl has her thoughts up, pointing out that homeschool activist Mike Farris will be speaking at the breakfast on Saturday and that the luncheon on Saturday will play host to Governor-elect Bob McDonnell’s first public speech since his election November 3rd. She is one voice I’ll rely on for coverage, along hopefully with Krystle Weeks of Crystal Clear Conservative.

The Advance has come under fire in recent years for being an exclusive event long on glitz and short on training. Indeed, three of the last five have been at the posh Homestead Resort in Bath County–quite a drive for Northern Virginians and out of the pocketbook of many activists. Much of this rests is due to the constant merry-go-round of chairmen that has beleaguered the party since the early part of the decade. Indeed, current congressman Randy Forbes is the last party chair to serve his four year entire term, and that was back in 2000. Although this year’s Advance still comes with a steep price tag, the event seems to be long on education.

There’s going to be five, count ‘em, FIVE seperate discussions of New Media. The names are not just any random bloggers, either. They include Lynn Mitchell, who has probably one of the most influential blogs in the region, with her words having both digital and real world impact; the minds behind ProjectVirginia, whose guidance helped a number of small races across the state make great use of social networking; Tim Murtaugh, RPV’s communications director who brought us often hilarious and always stinging videos about Creigh Deed’s ghost-like campaign; and Vince Harris, the mind behind McDonnell’s stellar efforts this year and the extremely popular blog Too Conservative.

There will also be two round tables discussing the results, one with AG-elect Ken Cuccinelli and another with Speaker Howell. Perhaps most importantly, there will also be workshops on three items that should be the cornerstones of any Unit Chairman’s knowledge: legal, data collection and storage, and fund raising. The legal workshop is particularly notable for some of the luminaries it will feature, including Chris Berg, who was my liaison with the legal department during the closing days of the campaign and who has an amazing amount of knowledge regarding the “death by a thousand cuts” approach of the Unions and Democrats. Also on tap: Cameron Quinn, a former Chair of the State Board of Elections.

Also notable: the hospitality suites. As expected, three candidates for Congress in the Second district will host receptions. This is natural, given that the event is right next door to the district and will likely draw a larger proportion of its crowd from the region. The only thing curious about this is who ISN’T hosting a suite: Chuck Smith, who has been gunning hard for the seat since late 2008, to the point where he was shaking almost every hand at the RPV State Convention (and actually had to be asked to leave the lunch pick-up area to keep the crowd moving).

More curious: Feda Kidd Morton is hosting a suite the day before the Fifth District Committee selects its nominating method. Certainly, Morton is picking up a great deal of statewide support, but why put all that money and time into an event not even in the district? Certainly this race is going to become the focus of a great deal of statewide attention, but endorsements from Pat McSweeney and Kathy Hayden Terry only get you so far. It’s going to be up to the activists to decide this one, particularly if it ends up being a convention.

Her presence may very well be due to McSweeney himself. McSweeney is speaking on fighting ObamaCare at the Virginia State PAC suite at 9 P.M. on Friday. I did a little bit of research and discovered that the Virginia State PAC was created out of the leftover funds of former Delegate Richard Black’s campaign committee, who lost to now Former Delegate David Poisson in 2005. Black may be best noted for being an incredibly outspoken opponent of abortion, going so far as to once handing out plastic fetuses to colleauges. So far the Virginia State PAC has no receipts outside of the leftovers of Black’s PAC, and so far the only donations it has made has been to Ken Cuccinelli and Bob Marshall, certainly two candidates that meet McSweeney and Black’s criteria. Could this be a sign of new organizing efforts on the social conservative front (along with the ostensibly non-political Restoring the Founder’s Vision group, also headed by McSweeney)?

Intrigue abounds this holiday season.

A celebration of Election Day’s sweet victory with sweets – featuring ice cream and a coffee bar – and sign up for drawings for ten copies of Craig Shirley’s “Reagan’s Revolution” and ten copies of Ron Maxwell’s critically acclaimed Civil War films “Gettysburg” and “Gods and Generals”

These sorts of family-friendly events have become the rage at the last couple of Republican Advances/Conventions and are a welcome change from others were booze is more the norm. They’re also smart politics with the religious right and homeschoolers continuing to flex their respective muscle at these events.

The bigger story here though is that Obenshain is venturing out on his own to do a hospitality suite. Hospitality suites are historically a way for potential candidates and leaders to both thank activists for their support and get their attention in an intimate setting. Obenshain had been touted by some as a possible candidate for AG in 2009. However, he yielded to Ken Cuccinelli. Word has it that the Senator was worried about putting his family through the challenging grind of the campaign as his children enter late adolescence (one is finishing high school and another is a freshman at JMU). This is a position to respect.

Additionally, it gives Obenshain time to continue to build his already stellar credentials as a law and order type (he and Todd Gilbert have led the fight against crystal meth and the expansion of the death penalty to those who order capital murders) as well as a reliable voice for fiscal conservatism (VDOT, anyone?).

Given this record, his stellar service to the party (he was a constant source of support for me during my time in Harrisonburg), and his current role as an advisor to AG-elect Ken Cuccinelli during the transition, Senator Obenshain will be one to watch in the next four years. If nothing else, I can guarantee you he will be a strong voice for fiscal sanity in the Senate (a space where it is often hard to find) and an advocate for the sort of pragmatic plans with strong conservative foundations that Bob McDonnell advocated on the trail.

Here’s what I have it narrowed down to: CPAC 2010 or the Advance this weekend. Both events have their upsides: the Advance is sure to be an exciting affair as Republicans look back at what they did right this cycle and as the jockeying begins for 2013, while CPAC offers the same jockeying on the national stage for 2012 in addition to (hopefully) the beginning of a conservative policy resurgence.

So what most tickles your fancy? I can’t say that my decision will be completely based on the results, but it would at least give me some understanding of what subjects I dwell on here are most popular amongst my readers.

So have at it–which major event should I attend?

I hope to get out there and do some event coverage soon. Anyone want to convince me on the Advance? Or should I save my pennies for CPAC, the mecca of conservatives? I would hold something for bloggers in the Northern Valley, but alas, it would seem that one IS the loneliest number after all. SWAC certainly is a bustling hub, though.