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Super Tuesday in Virginia: Clinton, Trump expected to win For Democrats and Republicans, it’s all about Trump
(about 5 hours later)
Virginia voters head to the polls on Super Tuesday for contests in which the candidates representing a Democratic insurgency and the Republican establishment both face an uphill climb. There were Hillary Clinton supporters who voted for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) to send a message to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump. There were Clinton supporters who cast their ballots for Trump, saying they want to make sure that he wins because they believe the former secretary of state will handily defeat him in November. And then there were those who voted for Trump because they love his to-hell-with-’em attitude and applaud what he has to say.
Of the 11 states where voters are casting ballots today, Virginia is particularly prized. Because its delegates are allocated proportionally, no one candidate will come away with the entire prize. But victory here, particularly in Northern Virginia and its growing exurbs, is important for several reasons, including the fact that Virginia in recent years has been the most predictive state in the nation when it comes to the general election. Either way, for many who participated in Virginia’s open primary on Tuesday, the election was all about the business mogul who has turned this campaign season upside down.
Polls opened at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Republicans and Democrats consider Virginia a must-win in November in capturing the the White House. “I hate to say it, but I like Trump,” Charlie Selby, 73, said after casting his ballot at Brentsville High School in Prince William County, a bellwether jurisdiction in an increasingly purple state that both parties believe they must win in November in order to capture the White House. “He’s kind of a loudmouth, but he’s got people’s attention . . . None of those other turkey necks ever met a payroll.”
On the Democratic side, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is taking on a state political class and an electorate that favors former secretary of state Hillary Clinton. Polling suggests that Clinton will win comfortably, but Sanders has made an aggressive push in the commonwealth, especially among college students. Thousands of enthusiastic young supporters turned out to see him in Norfolk a week before the primary, and some booed at the mention of his rival. Bill Dennis, who owns a small carpentry business in Prince William County, was participating in a primary for the first time. Mostly, he said, he liked Trump’s tough stance on illegal immigration.
Clinton is taking no chances in Virginia, which is part of her strategy of building a Southern “firewall” against Sanders’s popularity elsewhere. She appeared in Fairfax and Norfolk on Monday and for the past two weeks has deployed an army of surrogates across the state, from Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a close friend, and Sens. Timothy M. Kaine and Mark R. Warner, to her husband, former president Bill Clinton. “I’m self-employed and the last bunch of years have been pretty poor,” said Dennis, 64. In an industry where illegal hiring is rampant, “it’s hard to compete . . . I’m totally legal and do everything right.”
“We need to win Virginia! We need every vote in Virginia!” the 42nd president declared last week at a rally in Richmond. Of the 11 states where voters are casting ballots on Super Tuesday, Virginia is particularly prized. The commonwealth in recent years has been the most predictive state in the nation when it comes to the general election. It is considered a key part of Clinton’s firewall against Democratic rival Bernie Sanders, and it is one of the places where Republican underdogs Rubio and John Kasich could gain some traction with moderate or establishment suburban voters. Polls opened at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
If the Democratic establishment is on top in Virginia, the Republican establishment is in tatters. As he is elsewhere in the country, mogul Donald Trump is poised to win Virginia’s primary, with support from Republicans across age and class lines. The latest surveys of voters suggest that Clinton will win comfortably, but Sanders has made an aggressive push in the commonwealth, especially among college students. Thousands of enthusiastic young supporters turned out to see him in Norfolk a week before the primary, and some booed at the mention of his rival.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is fighting Trump hard, however. He’s the only candidate with advertising support in the expensive Northern Virginia media market, where a super PAC supporting his campaign is on the air. Clinton is taking no chance, appearing in Fairfax and Norfolk on Monday and deploying an army of surrogates across the state in recent weeks, from Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a close friend, and Sens. Timothy M. Kaine and Mark R. Warner, to her husband, former president Bill Clinton.
If the Democratic establishment is on top in Virginia, the Republican establishment is in tatters. Trump appears poised to win easily, as he is elsewhere in the country, with support from Republicans across age and class lines.
Rubio is fighting hard, however. He’s the only candidate with advertising support in the expensive Northern Virginia media market, where a super PAC supporting his campaign is on the air.
At the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, he won the votes of Neal and Karen Crawford, who said they believe he’s the best conservative choice in the race and represents the future of the party. “If the Republican party wants to win, it needs to diversify,” said Karen Crawford, 52. “He represents the new generation of the party.”
Jessica Dennis said she supports Clinton, but she took advantage of Virginia’s open primary to cast her ballot for Rubio — believing that by doing so, she could help stop Trump. She said she is confident Clinton can defeat Sanders without her help.
Trump “talks a lot and says a lot of words, but frequently I don’t think he knows what he’s saying,” said the 28-year-old Norfolk city employee, who also voted at the art museum.
In liberal Arlington, legal secretary MadelonBloom had an even more convoluted strategy.
“I voted for Hillary by voting for Trump,” she said after casting her ballot at Glebe Elementary School. “I think if Trump -- I call him Chump -- gets the nomination, people will be appalled, and the Republicans won’t vote in November.”
Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who is holding an Election Day rally in Arlington, also was receiving some support.
“He’s a guy who’s been in Congress, who has run a state,” said Jim Damico, 51, who works as a regulatory consultant for government contractors. “He knows how to get along with people.”
Rubio made several stops in Virginia on Sunday, including in Loudoun County, about an hour west of Washington. It was at one of those stops that Rubio debuted his new strategy of openly taunting the front-runner with crude attacks.Rubio made several stops in Virginia on Sunday, including in Loudoun County, about an hour west of Washington. It was at one of those stops that Rubio debuted his new strategy of openly taunting the front-runner with crude attacks.
“You know what they say about men with small hands,” Rubio said at a rally in Salem, Va., to laughter from the crowd. “You can’t trust them.”“You know what they say about men with small hands,” Rubio said at a rally in Salem, Va., to laughter from the crowd. “You can’t trust them.”
It was also in Virginia that Rubio’s super PAC launched a SnapChat campaign in which supporters can add a Trump-style hat to their photos with the letters, “STOP THE CON ARTIST.”It was also in Virginia that Rubio’s super PAC launched a SnapChat campaign in which supporters can add a Trump-style hat to their photos with the letters, “STOP THE CON ARTIST.”
However, polls find Trump ahead of Rubio by a wide margin. And Ohio Gov. John Kasich, pursuing a slow accumulation of delegates, is targeting the same Northern Virginia suburban voters that Rubio needs.
Kasich is holding an Election Day rally in Arlington.
“Kasich’s been here, and in some cases it’s about being here,” said Ross Shore, the Springfield district chairman for the Fairfax GOP and a Rubio supporter.
“The only way Rubio has a chance is if there’s huge turnout in Northern Virginia and maybe in Virginia Beach,” said Dan Scandling, a longtime aide to former Republican Rep. Frank R. Wolf. “It’s probably a case of too little, too late.”
Many Rubio supporters in Northern Virginia said they fear a Trump victory in the primary.Many Rubio supporters in Northern Virginia said they fear a Trump victory in the primary.
“I think Donald Trump would have a tough time [in the general election],” said Ron Wright, finance vice chairman of the Fairfax Republican Party, who is backing Rubio.“I think Donald Trump would have a tough time [in the general election],” said Ron Wright, finance vice chairman of the Fairfax Republican Party, who is backing Rubio.
The Florida senator, in contrast, could appeal to Virginia’s increasingly diverse electorate, Wright said. Rubio is Cuban American. He was endorsed recently in South Carolina by that state’s Indian American governor, Nikki Haley, and African American senator, Tim Scott.The Florida senator, in contrast, could appeal to Virginia’s increasingly diverse electorate, Wright said. Rubio is Cuban American. He was endorsed recently in South Carolina by that state’s Indian American governor, Nikki Haley, and African American senator, Tim Scott.
Immigrant and Muslim groups in Virginia are said to be mobilizing against Trump, but those groups historically have not flexed that much political muscle in the state. Immigrant and Muslim groups in Virginia have said they will try to mobilize against Trump, but those groups historically have not flexed that much political muscle in the state.
Trump’s Virginia campaign is being chaired by Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart (R-At Large), whose hard-line stance against illegal immigrants helped him build a statewide reputation. At the Herndon Community Center, where a steady stream of voters included many Hispanic and Asian immigrants, several Hispanics said they were backing Clinton and were offended by negative comments Trump had made about Mexicans and illegal immigrants.
In liberal-leaning Arlington and Alexandria, elections officials say the absentee-ballot turnout was significantly heavier this year than it was before the 2008 primary, the last time there was no presidential incumbent. “Hillary has a good heart, and the Democrats have a more human feeling than the Republicans for immigrants, whether they have papers or not,” said Maria Cardona, 57, a day care worker from El Salvador.
Among voters from India, China and the Philippines, including high tech professionals and medical workers, opinion was far more diverse, and more focused on economic issues than on the candidates’ views about foreign-born Americans like themselves.
One group of four Filipina women, all close friends and several related to each other, drove together to cast their ballots but split them among two parties and three candidates; two chose Clinton, one Trump and one Marco Rubio.
“I don’t like all of Trump’s ideas, but he speaks from the heart, plus he makes millions of dollars so he can probably do that for all Americans,” said Marivic Barasona, 56, a hospital nursing assistant.
Many voters expressed limited enthusiasm for their choices on both sides of the political aisle. “I was just thinking about all the hope we had 8 years ago” said Barbara Kennedy, 51, a freelance writer in Arlington. “Now you’ve got to choose the best of the worst.. I had to go with the safest -- Clinton -- because I think she knows what she’s doing.”
In contrast, 83-year-old Gladys Johnson of Richmond said she was excited about the potential to make history by electing the first woman president.
“Our country is in bad shape,” she said. “It’s just time we get a lady in the White House as president. And I think she’ll do a marvelous job because whatever she has done she has done a terrific, terrific job and she’s still doing it.”
A polling place near Virginia Commonwealth University attracted lots of college students — a demographic that has rallied around Sanders. Jeff Aronowitz, a 30-year-old graduate student and Sanders supporter, said throughout history populist rhetoric like that spouted by Trump has proven dangerous.
“I see people being motivated to get involved in the political process,” said Aronowitz, who went to Sanders’s recent rally in Norfolk. “There are a lot of scary candidates out there and I don’t feel with a Hillary Clinton nomination people will be motivated to go out and vote.”
In liberal-leaning Arlington and Alexandria, elections officials said the absentee-ballot turnout was significantly heavier this year than it was before the 2008 primary, the last time there was no presidential incumbent.
Arlington registrar Linda Lindberg said 2,368 voters cast such ballots this year, up 200 from 2008. Almost 1,500 cast absentee ballots in the Democratic primary, a 10 percent boost from 2008; 512 voted in the Republican primary, twice as many as in 2008.Arlington registrar Linda Lindberg said 2,368 voters cast such ballots this year, up 200 from 2008. Almost 1,500 cast absentee ballots in the Democratic primary, a 10 percent boost from 2008; 512 voted in the Republican primary, twice as many as in 2008.
In Alexandria, 2,580 voters cast absentee ballots this year, said registrar Anna Leider. There were 1,695 Democratic early voters, 25 percent more than in 2008. About 885 voters cast Republican ballots, up 80 percent from 2008.In Alexandria, 2,580 voters cast absentee ballots this year, said registrar Anna Leider. There were 1,695 Democratic early voters, 25 percent more than in 2008. About 885 voters cast Republican ballots, up 80 percent from 2008.
Patricia Sullivan contributed to this report. Pam Constable, Fenit Nirappil, Jenna Portnoy, Patricia Sullivan and Laura Vozzella contributed to this report.