It was kinda sad to see the candidate on the last weekend of the campaign all by himself when he spoke at the John McCain rally.

Both Fimian and Gilmore were by themselves with no staff or volunteer entourage to meet the voters and recruit them.

No matter how much money you have, when you run an isolated campaign where the public has little interaction, you are bound to lose.

Future candidates should be careful about who they bring on board to run their campaigns. We keep getting the same jokers over and over again running losing campaigns for the republicans and destroying what is left of the republican party in Northern Virginia.

Another election, same old problems. Same old consultants, same results which are losses.

We need to look at the political-industrial complex and hold their feet to the fire.

Here are some recent problems with direct mail, TV and radio campaigns in northern Virginia.

Fiamian spent 400,000 plus on TV services from Stevens Reed Curcio & Potholm. Were the TV ads any good? Using more grassroots and less TV might have helped Fimian win.

Fimian used Carlyle Gregory as a consultant. Again maybe too much money was spent on TV and radio and not enough money on grassroots.

It seems like very little was done in Prince William county. The biggest complaint I heard around the district is that the Fimian campaign rarely answered the phone and didn’t return calls.

It is kinda hard to build a successful campaign when the campaign and candidate appear to be in hiding.

I don’t know how he became so successful if he operated his business like that.

TV and Radio and direct mail is mostly falling on deaf ears.

People are beginning to understand that buying ads on radio and TV stations to get a few swing voters to switch to “our side” is problematic. Even throwing direct mail at them can be overkill.

Meanwhile the Dems were bringing in hundreds of volunteers to go door to door in these districts effectively targeting the most likely voters and personally persuading voters to switch sides.

“There are those of us who think you should spend campaign money on alternative grassroots media and grassroots organizers in these swing districts.

Hire real grassroots people who can deliver the votes. If you dropped your expensive political media consultants and their ads you would have bundles to spend on real organizing. TV is fun and we all want to be on it but you need to show the proof that these media consultants can swing voters to your side via expensive TV ads.”

We could spend money to build the party instead of lining the pockets of expensive consultants so that they can stay in 4 star hotels, have expensive vacation homes etc.

Until 2009, when we lose again. I hope we learn some lessons.

Up to you Paul, but in the interest of political “futurism,” I don’t think you need his kind of help; it just might be wise for you to rein him in a bit.

Fimian most definately is a class act candidate and hopefully he will return. But I would tell him not to count on the PW Repb. Committee. Get his own people and don’t reley on the Far Right,as they will be the ones who does him in. Use your own judgement and get your team lined up.

Many people could see this coming in the last 5 years,so it’s not really a big surprise,even tho we don’t like it. But the tide will change.

I just wish we had better candidates for all of the offices.

This blog is infected with cyber vermin who cannot stand to look at their own actions as they ridicule others. As people on the blog put forth virtual psycho-babble based on voices they heard at the polls (are you sure those voices weren’t just in your head?), they try to blame Fairfax County for the defeat of Keith Fimian. Meanwhile, readily available election returns confirm that the residents of Prince William preferred Connolly over Fimian by about 6%.

I will assume that there will soon be a posting describing how residents of FAirfax County used some type of mind control to force the PWC voters to pull the Connolly ballot.

https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2008/07261AFC-9ED3-410F-B07D-84D014AB2C6B/Unofficial/6_l_B6169535-9D3A-4EBA-B997-E5BE170361DB_s.shtml

It won’t take much to switch these results in a lower turnout, mid-term election and with Connolly having to run on 2 years of crazy left-wing votes instead of his usual hot air

Gridlock wears on voters and this is their way of saying, “if you can’t get the job done, we’ll put someone in who can.” It’s not like the sitting Congress wasn’t given more than adequate warning.

This is the governing party America’s voters have chosen - with the largest voter turnout ever. It is ours for the next four years.

We lost a fine young man in losing Fimian.. I am not sure he had the local Repb. working for him as they should have.???

The Repb. has really lost something in the past 10 years. They have in some cases put up and supported the wrong candidate and lost a seat by doing this.

Many of the volunteers worked their heads and feet off to bring a victory and for this I am sad .

All citizens need to be aware of what will be taking place and make your opinions be heard all year long.