In the Ballot Booths, No Fixation on Immigration ("decline of Republican brand")

Washington Post

Voters across Virginia chose candidates in state and local elections yesterday not out of anger over illegal immigration but based on party affiliation, a preference for moderation and strong views on such key issues as residential growth and improving traffic. With a few notable exceptions, the trend benefited Democrats and not those who campaigned the loudest for tough sanctions against illegal immigrants.

Fairfax County continued its transformation into solid Democratic territory, with as many as five legislative seats poised to fall out of Republican control. In Loudoun County, Democrats who campaigned on a promise to slow residential growth appeared headed toward control of the county board. And even in Prince William County, where the board's chairman, Corey L. Stewart (R), was poised to win easily on a promise of a crackdown against illegal immigrants, the volatile issue was tempered by the victory of state Sen. Charles J. Colgan (D-Manassas), who had been painted as soft on the issue.

The returns provided the sharpest evidence yet that Democratic gains in recent state elections represented more than a temporary Republican dip in popularity. Yesterday's initial results showed that a more long-term structural realignment might be occurring and that voters are increasingly drawn by Democratic promises to improve schools and ease traffic and away from Republican conservatism on such issues as taxes and social policy, particularly in fast-growing Northern Virginia.

"I did not think that immigration in and of itself would carry the day," said Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax), who will become majority leader under Democratic rule. "The results are proving that, while immigration is a concern to people -- and it should be -- it is not returning the votes that they thought that it would."...

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Robert D. Holsworth, a political science professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, called it the "decline of the Republican brand" and credited it with rallying Democratic activists, bringing forward credible Democratic candidates and attracting hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions to Democratic campaigns....