Correspondent of the Day: Where Were Virginia Democrats?

Where Were Virginia Democrats?
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Why did it take 20 years for Robert McDonnell's master's thesis at Regent University to surface?

Many people with whom I have discussed this matter are wondering, as am I, why the Creigh Deeds campaign did not research this matter when he ran and lost against McDonnell in the attorney general race four years ago. More significantly, why did not the Virginia Democratic Party have this matter thoroughly researched years ago?

McDonnell has been in the House of Delegates as well as attorney general. Why isn't the Democratic Party routinely investing its resources in opposition research, which the Republicans do so well?

As a former Democratic county chair, I can attest to the utter worthlessness of the Virginia Democratic Party. It was of no help to me. In fact, local Democratic chairs are expected to do a lot of campaign work but have no voice or power at all in party decision-making. The Central Committee has all the power being self-obsessed, as it is, with statistical social balance but less concerned about actually winning elections.

The Virginia Democratic Party is useless, and the McDonnell thesis controversy proves it yet again.

H. Watkins Ellerson.
Hadensville.