Sabato to Cuccinelli: 'Be careful what you wish for'

Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball steps in to analyze last weekend's Virginia Republican Convention with some historical background on Democratic and GOP candidates from 1969-2013. Virginia's Democrats will decide their Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General candidates in a primary on June 11.

It is no secret Ken Cuccinelli wanted a convention to secure his nomination as the gubernatorial candidate for Virginia Republicans in 2013 and, to do so, an orchestrated takeover of the central committee was accomplished with the help of tea partiers and Ron Paul Libertarians. They reversed a decision that had already been made to hold a primary -- the first time in the history of of state central that a decision was reversed -- and in the process alienated large segments of long-time GOP volunteers.

Tea party and Libertarian activists in the Party are applauding the nominees who came out of the convention. Some Republicans are apprehensive that a huge loss may be on the horizon.

University of Virginia political professor Dr. Larry Sabato summed it up in this way:

The old Chinese proverb applies: Be careful what you wish for. Cuccinelli and his backers insisted on a convention; they now must live with the consequences.

Whatever thoughts there are about Saturday's convention, the die is cast. Cuccinelli has his dream team, and the tea partiers and Libertarians are deliriously happy that they are representative in all three candidates. Meanwhile, mainstream Republicans are concerned about the middle voters, business leaders, and the direction of the party.

The wisdom or folly of Saturday's decision will be known on November 5.