In the race for contributions from local businesses and executives, it's Bob McDonnell by a landslide over Creigh Deeds.
More than two-thirds of the 50 largest donations in the governor's race have gone to McDonnell, the Republican candidate. Of the nine above $25,000, two helped Deeds, the Democrat: John P. Wright, a real estate developer in Portsmouth, gave more than $58,000, and Consumer Litigation Associates, a public interest law firm in Newport News, contributed $52,400.
The top donor from the area has been J. Douglas Perry, the former chairman of Dollar Tree Stores Inc., who gave McDonnell $75,000.
The tilt to McDonnell follows established practice, said Mark Rozell, a public policy professor at George Mason University: "Generally, the business community likes less government, less regulation and lower taxes. Those are generally more Republican-leaning positions."
In addition, Rozell said, Deeds has cost himself business support by "not being clear about his transportation plans " and the role of taxes, until recently. "He has not conveyed a strong position that gives people confidence that he knows what he's doing in that area. And to a lot of businesspeople, that's a big issue."
Richard Poulson, an executive vice president at Smithfield Foods Inc., which has given $25,000 to McDonnell, echoed Rozell. "I've known Bob McDonnell since he first ran for attorney general," Poulson said. "I consider him to be the businessman's candidate. I think he will create jobs, which is what we need."
Poulson added: "I haven't quite been able to understand what Mr. Deeds' position is on tax increases. His position seems to change from meeting to meeting." Deeds acknowledged late last month that he wouldn't rule out tax increases in a transportation package.
Another Smithfield official, executive vice president Joseph Luter IV, was the largest local contributor to McDonnell, behind Perry, at $50,000. That doesn't mean Smithfield automatically backs the Republican, Poulson said.
"I gave a number of fund raisers for Mark Warner and supported him strongly," he said of the Democrat who is now a U.S. senator. "I think he was a pro-business governor."
Jared Leopold, a spokesman for Deeds, said in an e-mail that Warner and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine are examples of bipartisan, pro-business governors Deeds would emulate.
McDonnell, who has ruled out tax increases and championed his support of right-to-work laws, has won the backing of a legion of business groups, including the National Federation of Independent Business, Virginia Realtors and the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce's political action committee.
The top donors list in Hampton Roads encompasses a who's who of local power brokers, including CBN founder Pat Robertson and son Timothy; Virginia Beach developer Bruce Thompson; Stihl Inc.; Amerigroup Corp. and Amerigroup's former CEO, and current state Senate candidate, Jeff McWaters. All backed McDonnell.
Among the leading Deeds supporters: Norfolk businessman Joshua Darden Jr.; Tommy Johnson Jr., chairman of the Willcox & Savage law firm; John Malbon, president of Papco Oil Co.; and Louis Haddad, president of the Armada Hoffler real estate company.
Some companies hedged their bets: Northrop Grumman donated $25,500 to McDonnell and $25,000 to Deeds.
"When we support two candidates for the same office," spokesman Bryan Moore said in an e-mail, "we do so because we believe both are running on important issues and have something valuable to offer if elected." Both "have taken time to visit and learn about our operations and meet our shipbuilders," Moore wrote.
Likewise, Wick Moorman, the CEO of Norfolk Southern Corp., gave $8,500 to Deeds and $5,000 to McDonnell. His company, however, gave overwhelmingly to McDonnell - $15,000, versus $1,000 to Deeds.
Bucking the business trend, nine of the 10 biggest legal contributors - either attorneys or firms - gave to Deeds.
Deeds "gets along with people on both sides of the aisle" and would more likely replicate the policies of Warner and his successor, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, said Norfolk attorney Peter Decker III.
Citing Virginia's top rankings in recent business surveys, Decker said, "Even though the entire country is suffering, this is the best state for business. Why mess with that?"
Decker, who said his $10,000 contribution was personal and didn't necessarily reflect the viewpoints of his law firm, scorned McDonnell's "trickle-down" economic philosophy: "People are tired of giving big tax breaks to big business in hope that working folks are going to benefit eventually down the road. It just doesn't work that way."
The campaign contribution data were gathered by Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan group in Richmond that tracks money in state politics. The statistics include donations made between Jan. 1, 2008, and Aug. 31, 2009.
Pilot news researcher Jakon Hays contributed to this story.
Philip Walzer, (757) 222-3864, phil.walzer@pilotonline.com
Carolyn Shapiro, (757) 446-2270,carolyn.shapiro@pilotonline.com
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Well, money helps to get the
Well, money helps to get the word out, but it doesn't necessarily mean a victory. I am voting for Bob McDonnell simply because I am tired of democrat governors vetoing legislation I support. Everyone has their own issues. Apparently Bob is more likely to vote in their favor by NOT raising taxes on them and letting these business KEEP the hard earned money they worked for.
DEEDS FOR GOV
Good Old Bob - If he elected not only will he close ABC stores, pollute our oceans with oil and natural gas, make us pay tolls on Interstates, but now he will be a puppet for rich people and leave us middle income and below folks paying out of our ying yang. Didn't you people learn that BUSHnomics does not work. Gee I wish there was an Independent running for Governor but I will settle for Deeds.
Define "rich"
Half of the United States population pays no income tax whatsoever. And have you ever worked for a poor person? Increase their taxes and guess where they will have to make cuts in their businesses? That's right, labor. The very people you think you are protecting are the ones that will be in the employment line. Your "trickle up" economics that Obama, Kane, and the left don't work! Just take a look at Michigan.
Who are you kidding?
You are a die-hard democrat, stop acting like you are some high-minded independent. LOL
just goes to show ya...
ya can't fool all the people all of the time. The real problem is both parties and most of all......lobbyists.
Paper Tiger
It is absolutely appalling that the HRCC business PAC endorsed and sent checks to incumbents and to some challengers who have worked against the interests of business and the citizens in regard to transportation. The Legislative arm of the Chamber of Commerce has made Transportation improvements the number one priority in its annual Legislative Package for over a decade, in concert with a similar position of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, yet the PAC gave checks to McDonnell, Purkey, Cosgrove, Stolle, and others who have absolutely refused to increase the taxes and fees necessary to resolve our transportation crisis. By supporting Chris Stolle, the challenger to Joe Bouchard, Stolle uses those funds to bash Bouchard for doing exactly what the HRCC says it wants. McDonnell pledges revenue we don't have, or is programmed for education, yet the Chamber endorses him. It is absolutely enough to make one sick of the hypocrisy.
lots of hot air
Have you finished ranting, that cut and paste anti-Repub rant of yours. Once again I fell asleep reading it. For someone so relatively small (compared to me anyway), you sure put out a huge volume of words. Yawn
Not a fanatic
I am just giving you the facts.
*Before Bush, we had cheap oil and Iran was scared of Iraq.
*9-11 happened, We still haven't caught bin laden even with the $50M price tag on his head, $2Trillion spent and 4000+ dead servicemembers.
* The same congress that impeached clinton lifted the restrictions on derviatives meant to keep us from financial ruin.
* Look at CDC and Jones institute data, abortions fell more during clinton years than bush years, in fact in 2003, they spiked up a tad. Abortion has more to do with economics than ramming religion down people's throat. Almost all women want to keep their babies, abortions are generally a last ditch decision. What I don't get about the evangelical right is that they don't adopt all these kids themselves. It seems only the white ones get adopted.
*After Bush, we still have expensive oil. The expensive oil & getting rid of Saddam helped Iran get the Bomb faster.
* we need to question everything we are told. The republicans, esp Bush seem to be helping the terrorists, (get rid of saddam, raise oil prices helps, this financial debacle helps not hurts the terrorists)
In fact, I am not brainwashed at all, I read the facts.
political wannabe
Alex, by your massive number of posts, you must be one of those politican wannabes like HenryR and little Mike Barrett. Your tediously long diatribes do not make you right.
How things change yet they remain the same!
Bush...and his crew screwed up the Middle East. Now Obama is following in his foot steps. One would think before you go to war or continue a war you would have a strategy in place! The more things change the more the remain the same!
and Pat Robertson
wants you to blindly follow him while he, the Bush and Chenys do side deals with the Arabs to get rich off oil. yes, the evangelicans are sheep who follow anyone who just simply says they are with JC. I like the Dems only because at least they try to do the right thing. Perhaps health care reform is not being done right, but at least the intention is right and compassionate, give everyone access to medical care. I feel that the junk foods, hormone raised meats, heavily processed foods meant for pleasure and not nutrition should be taxed to pay for it. This will make us healhier and pay for the program at the same time. Most CBN followers get to wake up from the brainwash.
Maybe I live in a dream
Maybe I live in a dream world... but wouldn't it be nice if we could go maybe just one political story without silly first grade name calling? Actual... informed debate instead of allegedly witty plays on candidates names... or making fun of Christians. Neo-con this... liberal socialist that. It got old a loooong time ago.
At the end of the day... don't we ALL want what's best for Virginia? I seriously doubt we'll get there with venom, hate, and copy-and-paste blog comments.
Of course... the candidates themselves are probably the worst slingers of mud out there... so I guess we don't have much of an example to look up to.
Agree!
TinyDancer.......you are so right.
I am sorry that I have lived long enough to see our Country SO divided that everyone is hostile.
I'm sorry we can't say Merry Christmas because it's not proper!
I'm sorry that our Country was founded on "In God we Trust", but that will probably be gone soon on from our currency and in our Court Houses!
I'm sorry that one hateful person in Calif. was successful in banning prayers in our Schools, because it offends the Muslims and some others. My Jewish friends have sent CCCHRISTMAS cards for years! We respected eachothers religions.
I'm sorry that ..........never mind!
Divided Country
I wonder if our country was this divided during the Civil War?
In God we Trust
That was not put on our money till just a few generations ago. In reality this is a gorilla dust argument. Just meant to distract people from the real issues such as education, still not finding bin laden, irans gift from America (the nuclear program). etc. Our money and country in reality would go on whether you put In God We Trust on it. Its like gays in the military. It really doesnt matter, they have always been there since the beginning of mankind. Thinking about it Logically, god would not have created gays if he didn't love them. We need to focus on whats important. I trust in God, I don't force it on others and printing on my money doesnt bother me one way or the other. There are bigger issues.
for those knocking mac D
look it's simple, if tim kaine had done a decent job,the ball would still be rolling,but the fact remains.he didn't. and the poles are showing it.that simple.look the democrats are trying there damndest to out do the bush admin. in utter stupidity!and if bob mac. does a half-ass job,we vote him out! that simple.bottom line stop your whining!
To Chris33
You are wrong in your definition of socialist. They are the ones that are bent on depriving Americans the freedom to succeed through their own hard work by taking their gains away and giving it to those who choose not to work.
alexvb
You are without a doubt the most delirious poster I have yet to read on this site. Obviously a fanatic democrat that fails to realize that Virginia needs someone credible in Richmond, and "Deeds ain't it".
The Republican and Evangelical Agenda
To continue on my previous topic, the republicans mostly get votes from less educated religous types, mostly the kind that claim to be Christian just to fit into the cliques. What they do is quite perverse. Republicans want to deprive education thru vouchers, less funding etc and let the church run schools thrive on vouchers. They brainwash the next generation into voting republican on the premise that they will lower abortion & bring God back into society when in fact its all a elaborate cover by the republicans to exploit the illiteracy. They claim Christianity but then support regimes who give them cheap oil, send the kids off to a war in the name of oil. The under-educated get delusions of patriotism by voting for these nuts. When clinton lied, sperm died and the repulbicans spent $53M to verify it (that same Rep congress also repealed the derivative regulations which used to keep wall street in check). When bush lied, more americans died in Iraq than on 9-11 and oil prices are way up. (we now call $70bbl normal when clinton was around $20bbl was normal). Wake up folks, your being taken for a ride, by the descendants of the Confederacy.
Hmmm...
So you're saying that 70 million American citizens who do not read newspapers or watch TV news, but are all registered voters, were loaded onto buses by Acorn in a single day and taken to the polls and told to vote for Obama so they can get welfare and food stamps? 70 million of 'em? 70,000,000?
Either Acorn is far more powerful than we've been led to believe, or you should be a little careful in slinging the words "ignorant" and "dummy" in other posters' directions.