The Culpeper Star Exponent understands that nothing has fundamentally changed in Virginia since Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win here in 44 years. Even though Obama won the state by 6% in 2008, a majority of those who plan on voting in 2009 are McCain voters.

Voters whose candidate lost in the previous election are often in a sour mood, and those kinds of voters apparently tend to vote more often. And what better way to “send a message” that they are not happy with the current president, than to vote for the opposing party in the next statewide election?

And that dynamic will probably come into play once again. And that plays into the hands of Republican Bob McDonnell.

And that’s too bad. Because the election for the next Virginia governor is not about national health care, stimulus spending, Afghanistan or the Nobel Peace Prize.

Oh please, we all know that the recession is Tim Kaine’s fault!

But unlike McDonnell, Republican AG candidate Ken Cuccinelli is not pretending to play the centrist card. He may be one of the most stridently conservative, no, let’s make that right-wing extremist, members of the Virginia General Assembly.

Cuccinelli has been largely focused on abortion, guns, same-sex marriage and all the favorite right-wing priorities.

OK, here’s a quote from the first paragraph of a recent fundraising letter: “I believe that life deserves protection at every stage of development, from conception to natural death, and that marriage is a sacred union between one man and one woman. Liberal activists, however, have laid siege on our families and our nation’s fundamental values.”

Even down at the bottom of the letter there’s nothing about jobs, transportation, education or the economy.

Cuccinelli is anxiously awaiting being able to single-handedly determine the constitutionality of state laws — read “ignore” — passed by our elected legislature.

Unabashed tea-bagger Cuccinelli likes to tell audiences that he “will protect Virginia’s sovereignty under the 10th Amendment.”

If you think that Ken Cuccinelli and fellow tea bagger Catherine Crabill are the same candidate, congratulations. You’ve been paying attention.

The Washington Post also calls out Cuccinelli in a similar op-ed today titled: Cuccinelli: In your heart, you know he’s to the right of right.

As for McDonnell?

Bob McDonnell has sought to portray himself as a centrist, but his legislative record is clearly one primarily focused on social issues.

Creigh Deeds has been far more likely to have worked across the board on a wide variety of issues important to everyday Virginians.