Joe Morrissey is Now the Belle of the Ball

Truncated from The Washington Post article: “Once a pariah among Virginia Democrats, Joe Morrissey is now the belle of the ball”

Democrats feel achingly close to a majority in the Senate, where Republicans are defending a 20-to-19 edge, with one vacancy.

If Democrats manage to draw even or take a one-seat advantage, then the formerly shunned and famously mercurial Morrissey becomes crucial to a Democratic hold on the majority.

Virginia Democrats worry about ‘Fightin’ Joe’ Morrissey and his maverick ways

“Most powerful man in Virginia,” is how conservative radio host John Fredericks put it. A Trump supporter and self-proclaimed “Godzilla of the Truth,” Fredericks said his friend Morrissey will not be afraid to go his own way in the Senate. “He’s an independent thinker, not beholden to any party,” he said.

“Joe is going to be a Democratic senator,” McAuliffe said in an interview, explaining why he agreed to attend. “I already sat with Joe a couple of weeks ago — he agrees with me 100 percent.”

With the possibility of getting majorities in both the House and Senate in fall elections, Democrats can take major actions, he said. “We’ve got to raise the minimum wage, got to get common-sense gun restrictions here in the state of Virginia, and every vote is important.”

One area of possible friction: abortion restrictions. “I didn’t bring that up. I don’t think he agrees with me on that,” said McAuliffe, who touted his work on behalf of women’s health issues.

McAuliffe threatened to pull out of the fundraiser after Fredericks, the radio host and emcee of the event, announced that he was inviting antiabortion activist Victoria Cobb.

Read the full article from The Washington Post.