GOP Stars Kick Off Victory Party for McDonnell in Virginia

Corey Dade reports from Richmond, Va., on the governor’s race.

A number of the Republican Party’s biggest stars helped to kick off Bob McDonnell’s victory party in the Virginia governor’s race.

Associated Press
Republican National Chairman Michael Steele addresses supporters for Governor-elect Bob McDonnell at his victory party in Richmond, Va., Tuesday. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, revved up the crowd in a Richmond ballroom, saying “Our party is strong tonight because of you.” Earlier, asked by reporter if today’s election is a referendum on the president, Steele said, “It is at least a testament by the American people represented here in Virginia that we’ve listened to the arguments on health care, we’ve listened to the arguments on cap-and-trade, … on the economy, and we’re not liking it too much.”

A number of media outlets called the race for McDonnell over his Democratic rival Creigh Deeds just around 8 p.m. EST.

Also on hand was Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, chairman of the Republican Governors Association and a past RNC chairman.

“Is this sweet or not?” Barbour told the audience. “After last year, a lot of people in America had come to the conclusion that maybe Virginia is going in wrong direction. Well, today, Virginia is going in the right direction and is going to lead America in the right direction.”

Barbour suggested McDonnell’s impending win and a possible Republican victory tonight in the New Jersey governor’s race could be a turning point similar to the 1993 gubernatorial elections of George Allen of Virginia and Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey.

Those victories 16 years ago, he said, were “the springboard to Republicans winning control of Congress in 1994, and this is going be a springboard to 2010.”