Virginia Republican legislative candidates admit George W. Bush’s poor popularity ratings harm their campaigns but downplay the president’s impact and believe they can overcome the disadvantage with strong get-out-the-vote efforts.

GOP hopefuls are also emphasizing their tough stands on illegal immigration and the landmark transportation-funding package the Republican-run legislature approved in April.

“We are going to have to find people who have not voted before and get them to the polls,” said Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, R-Fairfax, who is running against Democrat Janet Oleszek in the 37th district. “The president makes our job harder, but we’re used to hard work.”

Democrats are hoping that voter opposition to the war in Iraq and other Bush policies will help them oust three targeted incumbent GOP senators in Northern Virginia and gain control of the chamber for the first time since 1999.

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Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia, said Republicans can counter public sentiment against their party by frequently reminding voters that the outcome of a General Assembly race will have no impact on the president’s handling of national issues.

“No state legislative of either party is going to impact George W. Bush’s decisions about Iraq,” he said.

Both candidates in the 34th district, where Democrat Jeannemarie Devolites Davis, R-Vienna, is trying to fend off Democrat Chap Petersen’s challenge, insist the race will be decided on local issues and discount the impact of national politics. Davis, seeking a second Senate term, is married to Rep. Tom Davis, who has represented the area in Congress since 1994.

Sen. Jay O’Brien, R-Clifton, said he rarely encounters voters who want to take out their frustration with national Republicans by voting him out office. When he does, the senator employs a geography lesson.

“I always explain that I work in Richmond and their concerns are for Congress and the president, not a state legislator,” said O’Brien, who is facing Democrat George Barker in the 39th district. “For anyone to say George Bush is a reason not to vote for me is insulting to the voters.”

jrogalsky@dcexaminer.com