The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
Local attorney and businesswoman Jody Wagner coasted to an easy win in Tuesday's primary to become the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor.
Wagner defeated Mike Signer, her only remaining opponent in what began as a four-way race, by more than a 3-1 margin. She rolled up comfortable margins in every part of the state including Northern Virginia, Signer's home base. She wasted no time going on the offensive against her Republican opponent this fall, incumbent Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling.
"This is only the qualifier," she told a cheering crowd of supporters at Guadalajara, a restaurant in Town Center. "Now, we have to run the real race."
She cast herself as a pragmatic problem-solver in the mold of governors Timothy M. Kaine and Mark Warner, both Democrats.
For voters this fall, she said, "the choice is clear: Pick somebody who's going to work to fix our problems or somebody who's going to be ideological and stand in the way. I look forward to that comparison."
Wagner linked Bolling to Warner's Republican predecessor, Jim Gilmore, whom Democrats blame for driving the state budget into a ditch. She referred to Gilmore's legacy as "the Gilmore-Bolling financial disaster."
She said she will work to bring "21st-century businesses" such as renewable-energy enterprises to Virginia, expand pre-kindergarten education and seek a bipartisan solution to the state's transportation problems.
A spokesman for Bolling called Wagner "inexperienced" and said Bolling's 18 years in local and state government make him the best-qualified candidate.
Wagner, 53, served as Kaine's secretary of finance and as state treasurer under Warner. She and her husband, Dr. Alan Wagner, own Jody's, an Oceanfront popcorn and confections shop. They live in Virginia Beach and have four children. She ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2000.
Signer, 36, is an attorney and a national security policy fellow at Third Way, a Washington-based think tank. He was a deputy counsel in the Warner administration and a policy adviser for President Barack Obama's campaign. He is single and lives in Arlington County.
Wagner campaigned on her government experience and knowledge of the state budget. Signer portrayed himself as an "aggressive progressive" who would be a public advocate as lieutenant governor.
The lieutenant governor's only constitutional duties are to preside over the state Senate and cast tie-breaking votes, but the office can be a springboard to the governorship.
Wagner outraised Signer by nearly 3 to 1, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonprofit that tracks campaign contributions. Wagner brought in $1.1 million; Signer, about $400,000.
Russell County Supervisor Jon Bowerbank and Virginia Beach School Board member Pat Edmonson began the race but withdrew. Bowerbank's exit came too late for his name to be taken off the ballot.
Bill Sizemore, (757) 446-2276, bill.sizemore@pilotonline.com
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Gilmore Legacy
Of course Greenmun does not want to remember the legacy of Jim Gilmore that still haunts the republican base today. Gilmore of course is an important part of the trend started by his predecessor to destroy the most important infrastructure in our Commonwealth; that is, our transportation network. He did so by undermining the funding of that infrastructure, by promising to do away with the car tax but not replacing that tax revenue from another source. The classic you can have your cake and eat it too. That legacy persists today as the republicans plan for transportation is to fund it with money destined for the general fund which would not be replaced, the classic bait and switch. Greenmun and Gilmore buy into the Grover Norquist philosophy; that is, cut off the arms and legs of government so you can drown it in a bathtub. That is what the republicans have done to transportation, and we all know the result.
Great Candidate
Jody will be an excellent candidate and an even better Lt. Governor. She has had excellent preparation as State Treasurer for Mark Warner and as Secretary of Finance in the Kaine administration. In these positions, she has come to understand the diverse economy of Virginia, the importance of prosperity in all areas of the Commonwealth, and the the connections between our major public assets like Dullus, the Port of Virginia, and transportation infrastructure and jobs throughout the Commonwealth. As a participant in the budget process, she certainly understands the goals of the administration and the preferences of the members of the General Assembly and the techniques needed to bring these often diverse views together. She will help Creigh Deeds to win, and more importantly, to govern effectively.
Great lady
She would make a good Governor!
Jedi mind trick - run against someone not on ballot
Well, it worked for inexperience young Senator Obama - run against someone not on the ballot! The DNC run then Senator Obama's presidential campaign by claiming he was running against President George Bush - not John whats-his-name. Here we read that Democrat Jody Wagner is running against a guy who was governor before Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, LOL! The Pilot quotes Jody Wagner's scripted talking point as "She referred to Gilmore's legacy as "the Gilmore-Bolling financial disaster.". Are people really that gullible? I hope not. But then again, they elected Jim Gilmore for promising to end a car tax that we still have! Political campaign have morphed into marketing and advertising campaigns that tell targeted voters what the campaign focus groups appear to reveal the voters want to hear. In this case it is REALLY goofy. Jim Gilmore is not on the ballot as Governor, Bob McDonnell is on the ballot. So transparent.
Congratulations
Looking forward to LT Governor Wagner and Governor Deeds.