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By Jamie Riley By Jamie Riley February 23 at 5:35 PM

Virginia Republicans arent big fans of drama.

At least not of the political sort. In a Republican Party of Virginia press releaseissued Thursday, the RPV said the antics on display at various congressional town hall meetings and the calls for even more such events are more about drama than electoral discontent.

This ignores just how much Republicans relied upon congressional town hall drama and voter discontent during the Obama presidency.

Lest we forget, consider the town halls then-Rep. Tom Perriello (D-Va.) held during the height of the debate over the Affordable Care Act. According to the New York Times, they were marathon affairs, reportedly lasting an average of five hours, often ending well after midnight.

Perriello lost his reelection bid that year. Maybe it was the drama that wore him down. Or perhaps it was the discontent in his congressional district that pushed him out of office in 2010. He is trying to stage a statewide comeback this year.

Or consider another Democratic incumbent from 2010, congressman Glenn Nye (D-Va.).

Nye avoidedholding town halls in his Hampton Roads district in 2010. According to Politico, this was evidence of a clear enthusiasm gap between Republicans and Democrats, with public polls and anecdotal evidence showing the GOP is fired up for the midterm election and Democratic voters are not.

Nye lost his reelection bid in 2010.

At one time, Virginia Republicans embraced drama with both arms and stoked discontent as furiously as possible because it suited their electoral goals.

And 2010 was a very good year for the GOP. Nationwide, Republicans retook control of the House, helped in part by victories over Perriello, Nye and long time 9th District Rep. Rick Boucher.

So its no mystery Democrats hope to use the very same tactics to push them to victory in 2018. It would be political malpractice or them not to do so.

It makes even more sense that Democrats would seek to push 10th district Rep. Barbara Comstock (R) to hold a town hall event. Putting Comstock on the defensive, even for a moment, with the cameras rolling, would make priceless 2018 campaign fodder.

The Democrats problem, though, isnt their energy they seem to have plenty of that. Its not even their anger or perceived bad manners. If politicians cant endure the wrath of their constituents (and others who happen to show up), they probably arent suited for the job.

Their problem is that unlike Republican activists seven years ago, they dont have a single issue they can point to as a focus for their discontent.

Yes, President Trump gets them agitated, and they are eager to resist him. But is that enough to sway anyone else to join them on the electoral barricades?

Christopher Newport Universitys Quentin Kidd told me that if the resistance theme is used simply to mobilize a group of voters who otherwise wouldnt engage, but the issues on which Democrats campaign are the standard fare of education, transportation, taxes and so on, then Republicans are going to be in an okay position.

But if the anger on display in town halls, street protests, social media and elsewhere is on a par with what Republicans mustered in the 2010 congressional elections with opposition to Obamacare leading the charge Kidd said then Republicans are going to be on the defensive across the board.

Democrats will choose just how much of a resistance candidate they want in their gubernatorial candidate in the June primary.The states Republican members of Congress should watch those results closely.

They will cast votes on the Trump agenda between now and 2018. If Democrats opt for full-bore resistance in 2017, and its successful in November, then enduring a little drama at town hall meetings will be the least of the GOPs worries.

Norman Leahy is a political reporter for the American Media Instituteand producer of the Score radio show.

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Virginia Republicans dislike the drama - Washington Post (blog)