Dem Governor Hopefuls Compete in Vote-Rich Northern Virginia

By CQ-Roll Call Staff | May 16, 2009 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The three Democrats seeking the Virginia governorship this year made the rounds Friday night at a party dinner in Arlington County, a treasure trove of votes in the June 9 primary election.

Former state Rep. Brian Moran, former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe and state Sen. Creigh Deeds did some glad-handing and spoke at the county Democratic organization's Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner, which was attended by the local elected officials and party faithful types who are very interested in the race.

The dinner's keynote speaker, first-term Rep. Glenn Nye of Virginia Beach, praised the "three outstanding candidates for governor" and said that "we are going to make one of them the next governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia."

"We are the gateway to a blue Virginia, folks," said Peter Rousselot, the chairman ofthe Arlington County Democratic Committee, referring to the huge vote margins his county gives to Democratic statewide candidates.

Deeds, who narrowly lost to Bob McDonnell in a 2005 race for Attorney General, said that he was running for governor to "restore public confidence in the economy." He vowed to pass a statewide transportation plan in 2010.

McAuliffe, speaking second, said that "we need some big, bold changes here in Virginia." He said he would concentrate on "generating new jobs, generating new income" and work to ensure that all Virginia schoolchildren know how to read by the third grade.

The applause was loudest for Moran, who had a home-court advantage at the dinner: he was an Arlington County prosecutor before going on to represent a state House district in nearby Alexandria and Fairfax County.

"I do have that record of public service that began here in Arlington County," said Moran, whose older brother, Rep. James P. Moran of the 8th District, also spoke at the dinner.

Brian Moran said that he has a "bold, progressive vision" for the state's future. He drew some of his biggest applause lines when he said he would oppose a coal-fired power plant in southeastern Virginia, oppose offshore drilling and also seek to repeal a 2006 amendment that banned same-sex marriage.

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