Roanoke Times: Virginia Dems Conducting “Risky Experiment” With Race To The Left

The race to the left for the Democrat gubernatorial nomination in Virginia between Ralph Northam and Tom Perriello threatens Democrats’ chances of success in November’s general election. As they have flip-flopped their positions on key issues in hopes of attracting extreme far-left primary votes, Northam and Perriello have moved their party further out of touch with mainstream Virginia voters, abandoning any semblance of moderation or centrism. The Roanoke Times published an editorial on how the two Democrat candidates’ leftward swing may just end up costing them their shot at winning:

“Virginia Democrats are conducting a fascinating — though risky — experiment: How far to the left can the party go and still win the governorship?

It’s an experiment whose results could reverberate all the way to the 2020 presidential election.

For better or worse (probably worse), Virginia’s governor’s race this year has been nationalized. Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam had a clear shot at the party’s nomination for governor until former 5th District U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello decided to jump in to make the primary a referendum on the direction of the Democratic Party.

Perriello is essentially running the state version of a national campaign, positioning himself against President Donald Trump as much as he is against Northam.

Northam has the endorsements of the state’s top Democrats — Gov. Terry McAuliffe, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and state Attorney General Mark Herring.

Perriello has the endorsements of the nation’s best-known liberals, or ‘progressives,’ as they prefer to style themselves: Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.”