Yesterday’s Richmond Times-Dispatch has a piece written by Jeff E. Schapiro declaring that Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is the defacto leader of the Republican Party of Virginia, NOT Governor Bob McDonnell.

I tend to agree with this position as Ken has been leading the charge on issues like Obamacare, Cap & Trade, illegal immigration and other key issues facing the Commonwealth. 

McDonnell is subtle. Cuccinelli is anything but. McDonnell, in his rhetoric, proposes the possible. Cuccinelli propounds principle. McDonnell is the accommodating ponderer. Cuccinelli acts with all deliberate speed. Does McDonnell look weak; Cuccinelli, strong?

From the start, McDonnell appears to have allowed Cuccinelli to set the tempo.

Cuccinelli is an unapologetic conservative leader who fearlessly executes policy based on principle regardless of the political consequences.  He did so as a Delegate to the General Assembly.  He did so as a State Senator and he’s doing so as AG. 

This has made him a bit of a pariah with the establishment Republicans, but dammit, the guy keeps winning.  And he’s winning in Northern Virginia, Fairfax County to be specific, which is about as liberal as they come.  He hasn’t done so by hiding his conservatism.  He’s done so BECAUSE of his conservatism.

Although the article implies that Ken rode in on McDonnell’s coat tails, some of us (McMartin included) think it may well be the other way around.  It was Ken that drew the crowd at the last nominating convention.  It was Ken that caused me to go door to door.  It was Ken that brought out the vote.

Mind you, I don’t have anything against McDonnell, well, except for his fuzzy math on the so-called surplus and his predisposition to accept Federal funds, that is.

I like Bob McDonnell and he is an honorable man, a nice man, but I think the future of the Republican Party in Virginia is in better hands with Ken leading the way.