The race for Virginia’s 6th Senatorial District seat has been portrayed by Republican candidate Wayne Coleman as a contest between a career politician and an amateur. And, in this analogy, Coleman has proudly cast himself in the role of amateur.

There are very few jobs where a lack of experience is seen as a good thing. But in politics, which has often been the target of anger and frustration, the role of outsider is often seen as the more attractive alternative.

And politics has taken an especially hard hit as of late.

A glance up the road to Washington, D.C. gives ample reason for this negative feeling. The 113th Congress is on track to be the least productive in at least 40 years. A new CNN poll found two-thirds of Americans surveyed agreeing that the current Congress is the worst in their lifetime. And the poorly planned rollout of Obamacare has even some liberals attacking the administration.

Coleman has taken advantage of this n...