Three of my friends worked for Terry McAuliffe in Virginia’s gubernatorial primary. My politically-inclined social sphere either acknowledged their Hillary roots or regarded them as traitors. McAuliffe was a loaded candidate, not unlike New York City’s Michael Bloomberg: a self-proclaimed “hustler,” wealthy and not afraid to flaunt it.

One of my friends opted for Creigh Deeds. Deeds is a Wake Law graduate, state Senator and was considered a long shot. He didn’t have the capital, the eccentric character or big name that supported McAuliffe; however, he did seem to emulate Obama’s message most resoundingly.Deeds often preached of hope and change. Brian Moran was the third candidate for the contentious race (I do not personally know anyone who was on his staff).

Like Deeds, he was relatively unknown yet well-liked in Virginia. He embodied the All-American image, former captain of his high school football team, he went to school and steadily worked his way up in local politics.

Deeds’ victory startled everyone.  He collected 49.76 percent of the vote, McAuliffe came in second with 26.43 percent and Moran lost with 23.79 percent. And of my five friends invested in the first round, only one stayed in the game: a weak candidate attracts a weak team.

Former State Attorney General Bob McDonnell was the Republican nominee.  He served in the Army for four years and in the Army Reserve for 16 years.

His 1989 thesis for Regent University, titled “The Republican Party’s Vision for the Family: The Compelling Issue of the Decade,” quickly garnered tremendous attention.  Working women and feminists are “detrimental” to the family, according to McDonnell’s work.

He argued that government policy should favor married couples over “cohabitators, homosexuals or fornicators.”

He also rabidly asserted that “man’s basic nature is inclined towards evil, and when the exercise of liberty takes the shape of pornography, drug abuse or homosexuality, the government must restrain, punish, and deter.”

During the campaign, McDonnell insisted that his position on working women as dictated in the paper was “simply an academic exercise and clearly does not reflect (his) views.”

He also stated that Virginians would judge him based on his career as a legislator and attorney general rather than the “decades-old academic paper (he) wrote as a student during the Reagan era.”

Despite my scathing review of McDonnell’s paper, I believe the guy. In fact, I celebrate that his opinion on women’s rights has ameliorated over the years.

And despite my confident liberal inclination and personal investment (I knocked doors in Alexandria and made calls throughout the state), I accept the decision made by Virginians last week. But don’t get me wrong: the heartbreak still hurts, and I think Virginians made a poor choice. On the other hand, I’m not lamenting over the current punditry. I don’t think this election is reflective of Virginian distaste toward Obama.

McDonnell was a more persuasive, experienced candidate with a wealthier base.  Additionally, a number of sources have documented other factors which contributed to Deeds’ loss, including a

Washington Post article titled “Deeds should’ve listened to us, senior Obama officials say.”

In fact, I know that the Deeds campaign was, for one reason or another, quite distant from the Obama administration. I know that McDonnell’s rhetoric on bread-and-butter issues swayed voters more than the controversy over his social stances.

Finally, I know that this race was full of state matters I don’t understand, because I’m not from and have never lived in Virginia and, no matter how often or passionately I trek through its neighborhoods, call its residents,  and research its issues, I will always be foremost a random activist from North Carolina.

I sincerely and deeply hope that McDonnell is able to deliver on his campaign promises: creating new jobs, expanding Virginia’s tourism, film and hospitality industries, increasing online learning through virtual schools and improving educational mentoring programs (all using the stimulus funds).

I hope he is able to widen I-66, mend I-95 and finish the Metro to Dulles.

I hope McDonnell effects his pledged change.

Haowei Tong is a junior biology and religion major from Winston-Salem, N.C.