As Republicans struggle to mend the schisms in their party and find the path forward, the 2013 gubernatorial race in Virginia may serve as a case study for the future of the GOP.
Ken Cuccinelli, Virginia’s Attorney General and proud Tea Party member, is the presumed Republican nominee for governor in the state. Cuccinelli’s track record includes suing the government over President Obama's Affordable Care Act; denying climate change; questioning Social Security numbers; suing the EPA; and suggesting that Justice Scalia was too liberal. A moderate he is not.
But will the GOP be defeated by yet another far right candidate?
Not if the Virginia business community has any say about it. According to POLITICO, Cuccinelli got “ripped” by two prominent Virginia business leaders last month for being too extreme for the state’s political reality. Once a stronghold for the Republican Party, Virginia has opted for President Obama in the last two presidential elections due to the state’s changing demographics.
On Tuesday’s NOW with Alex Wagner, Alex and the panel discussed what demographic shifts and extreme candidates could mean for the GOP's road ahead. Will Republicans feel the ground moving beneath them and shift their strategy accordingly?