The government shutdown could cost Republicans big in Virginia

Tea Party congressmen may be insulated from public backlash, but their state level colleagues most certainly are not

Terry McAuliff (left) and Ken Cuccinelli
(Image credit: (Linda Davidson-Pool/Getty Images))

House Republicans' refusal to pass a clean bill to fund the government could cost them congressional seats in future elections. Already, though, that intransigence may be blowing the party's chances of holding onto a governor's mansion just down the road from Washington, in Virginia, where a once-close election is turning into a potential rout.

Nearly half of Virginia voters have an unfavorable opinion of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe, according to a new Politico poll, conducted by Public Policy Polling. Yet the former Democratic Party chairman is still running away with the race, leading his Republican challenger, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, by a nine-point margin, 44-35 percent, in a three-way contest.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.