BLAIR BOBIER TIMES-DISPATCH COLUMNIST

July 5, 2009

Virginia's Democratic gubernatorial primary made all sorts of national news last month. The more typical stories equated former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe's defeat with the end of the Clinton era. Yet, despite the abundance of coverage, one significant detail has been left out of the generally agreed upon "story" about Virginia's recent gubernatorial primary -- the losing candidates received more votes than the winner.

To be fair, Creigh Deeds did, in fact, roll up an impressive primary victory. But to be just as fair, his two opponents won more votes than he did. Together, Terry McAuliffe and Brian Moran won just over 50 percent of the vote; Deeds, a bit under 50 percent. Is this splitting hairs? Maybe -- but it's more like splitting votes.

Whenever a majority of voters casts ballots for losing candidates --and it happens far more often than we care to admit -- should be a time of thoughtful reflection in the "world's greatest democracy."

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Blair Bobier is deputy director of the New America Foundation's Political Reform Program. Contact the author at bobier@newamerica.net