Conservative strategic incompetence, revisted

Well, another election in Virginia is over. The Republicans have once again suffered losses when all the votes were counted.

For the third straight year.

In each of these three years, they took a hard line on immigration. And let's see what it got them:

The governorship? Nope, an avowed liberal who opposes the death penalty is currently in the governor's mansion.

The Senate seat held by George Allen? Nope, it's now held by a Democrat who has been determined to coddle Iran.

The state senate, which had been Republican for eight years? Nope. That is now gone.

Ever since conservatives staged their revolt against President Bush, citing his failure to adhere to principles, the GOP has been losing ground in the state of Virginia. This is not one election, this is three elections.

This is not a matter of explaining ourselves better - I could buy that argument if it had been one election or maybe two. But losses in three straight elections? No, I cannot buy that argument. I can only conclude that people are not buying our explanations.

Certain people have promised that holding to principle on this issue (in essence, maintaining a hard line) would be a cornerstone of victory. Well, if there have been victories, I have not seen them here, or across the country for that matter (the GOP had more of a mixed bag across the country).

It is time to hold them accountable. I ask that my readers begin to do so by contributing to Republicans who supported President Bush's approach to immigration. I also encourage them to donate to groups like the Republican Main Street Partnership and the Republican Leadership Council.

And for conservatives who wish to complain, I can only quote Ernst Stavro Blofeld in You Only Live Twice:
"This is the price of failure[.]"