But the notion that Gillespie has sold out his past values in order to run a scurrilous base campaign just doesn’t hold water. Although it isn’t being highlighted in TV ads, Gillespie hasn’t abandoned his former brand. In the wake of Charlottesville, Gillespie condemned the “vile hate” coming from white supremacists. Last month, he publicly stood up for DREAMers.

What is more, Democrats clearly believe that immigrant turnout is key to their success and liberal groups are engaging in equally questionable base motivation tactics for Northam. Perhaps the most egregious example comes from the Latino Victory Fund, which is running an ad where minority kids are being chased by a pickup truck. Oh, and the truck has a Gillespie bumper sticker and is flying the Confederate battle flag. Another of their ads calls Gillespie “racist” and “bigoted.”