VIRGINIA BEACH
A day after his Democratic rival drew thousands to a Norfolk arena by bringing President Barack Obama to town, Republican candidate for governor Bob McDonnell came to Hampton Roads with a political celebrity of his own to address a jubilant but smaller audience of supporters.
Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds had exhorted his audience Tuesday to work hard to overcome polls showing him significantly behind in the race.
McDonnell, flanked by former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, on Wednesday talked of what his victory would mean and thanked supporters for taking him this far.
"I really think we're in a position to win next week because we focused this campaign on the issues that Virginia voters have told me now for years that they really care about," McDonnell told more than 300 people at a Westin hotel luncheon that raised $150,000 for his campaign.
Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, told the group that Virginia's election - one of only two governor's races this year - is important nationally. After Obama carried the commonwealth in the 2008 presidential election, Republicans have wanted a Virginia victory this year to reinforce their clout in the state and weaken the president's political stature.
"You might ask why all these Republicans, from Haley Barbour down in Mississippi to Mitt Romney from Massachusetts to Mike Huckabee from Arkansas - why are they all coming here to weigh in on this campaign?" Romney told the crowd. "The reason is this state means a lot to us."
Hard economic times are making people rethink the direction of their state, he said.
"When everything is going swimmingly, people tend to choose their elected officials based on celebrity and whether the sound bites sounded cool," Romney said. "But when things are tough like they are now, they switch."
McDonnell restated his campaign promises to revive the state's economy by promoting job growth and not raising taxes.
"It's not more government spending and more entitlements and more cap-and-trade and unfunded mandates or even federalized health care," he said. "Those things... are not going to lead to prosperity."
He drew a loud cheer when he restated his promise to push for drilling for oil and gas off Virginia's coasts.
McDonnell also argued that the state isn't aggressive in attracting new jobs. He jabbed at a common Deeds theme that the state has been honored for being among the best-managed and most business-friendly during the past two terms of Democratic governors.
"We can no longer rely solely on our good ratings and say, 'Hey, we're a good place to do business - come here,' " he said.
While McDonnell expressed confidence he would win, he also cautioned his supporters that they should not be complacent. He is scheduled to spend the next six days campaigning around the state with the GOP candidates for lieutenant governor, Bill Bolling, and attorney general, Ken Cuccinelli, who both were at the luncheon.
"It's all about who shows up on game day," McDonnell said. "It doesn't matter what your roster looks like. Even the Redskins look really good on paper."
Bill Bartel, (757) 446-2398, bill.bartel@pilotonline.com
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Submitted by mapatty on Wed, 10/28/2009 at 10:23 pm.
And we did it 2008.You can't take it away.And its "yes we did."
And lets hear how much you sing that phrase after your pockets are emptier - that is if you are like the rest of us, contributing to the pot & watching the sky rocketing in prices....you have not grocery shopped lately? Hear about the "$3.00 tax" for each trash container we have, not to forget the increase of the paper which is scripmted to nothing. Paid any of your bills to see the upswing over the past 8 months EVEN after the wonderful stimulus that has over 10% unemployed...homeless w/kids. Oh, don't forget the fabulous healh care OB is itchy to get approved only to take effect after 2013 (election time)but as he promised it will not take care of the illegals. Thats right...he will have made them US Citizens by then so it will not matter! Now, that is your idea of for the people, by the people?
We'er Not Finish Yet
My opinion is to bring all the illegals in.I would rather have them then to have A bunch of hatemongers.I haven't felt the effects of the downturn of our economy,but I am concern about those who have. Yes I am contributing to the pot, whatever you are trying to infer. More immigrant, better the country.
ILLEGALS? Hatemongers?
Anyone who would to give aid and comfort to those seeking to destroy this country has no business calling others hatemongers.
You ma'am are the hatemonger. It is because of people like you who coddle the illegals that people like my husband and I can't find jobs.
You may not be feeling the effects of the economic downturn, but we sure are and it is the attitude of people like you who have caused it.
Thank you for taking food out of my child's mouth and jeopardizing the roof over her head. Since you are so concerned about us, can I give your her Christmas wish list to fill? She actually only wants one thing, but we can't afford it, and it actually costs less than this month's electric bill.
Why does the Republican party live on denial of their base?
I don't know--maybe you should ask a Republican. I do know that the only people who rely on the dead are Liberal Democrats--they use them as voters all the time! There's a lot of evidence and court cases to prove it, especially in places like Chicago, the adoptive hometown of none other than the Liberal Democrat Barack Obama.
GOP may have won this race
GOP may have won this race but they're doomed to fail in the future in VA. NOVA is already biggest region by far and growing 4 times faster than anywhere else in VA and has more money too. Nobody's moving to western va and in the time it took a "fast growing" county/city in 804 or 757 to add 5000 people a county in nova adds 100,000.
You can shout all you want about signs of Dem. demise but you're fooling yourselves... VA elected 2 democrat senators, 2 governors, and Obama... if you radical conservative/christian/"lets call obama fascist/communist" really represented VA's future they could have never won those offices... have fun this november, cuz in the scheme of things you're finished
Evangelicals and Oil Will Send McDonnell To Richmond
Submitted by HM on Thu, 10/29/2009 at 11:56 am.
...a cup of coffee with. What? Uh, oh, I'm sorry--never mind! As far as the "Liberty University's Falwell crowd," Jerry Falwell died May 15, 2007. Give us a break.
******
Why does the Republican party live on denial of their base?
With approximately 12,000 residential students, and another 38,000 studying through distance learning, LU is currently the largest evangelical university in the world. (2008)
Drill baby Drill for off-shore wells is the Evangelical mantra.
'Christian oil' is working aided by donations from energy corporations.
Question
If Virginia put A toll on 95 and 85 at the NC border, would NC share in the receipts?
Fairtyales
A toll on the intersttes is just another one of the fairytales. The Feds say it is allowed, but the list of conditions is a mile long, and frankly, it just won't happen. Just like the revenue from drilling for oil; there is no drilling, and if there were, the revenue goes to the Feds, not to Virginia. How about the one about PPVs? Bob touts the improvement of SR 460, but that project was just cancelled because the state did not have the money so the private sector abandoned the poject. Or the mid town tunnel, where it was announced today that the state simply does not have the $500 M necessary to contribute to the project to keep the toll reasonable enough that motorists would use the toll facility. Every plank in his so called plan is a total fabrication, yet he sings it as loud as he can around the state. He must think we the voters are idiots.
Well Mike--what about
Our boys over at the Chamber?
They've been the biggest proponents on transportation and they endorse McDonnell.....
Jack, Ira & Shep buy into his plan?
What's with that?
Okay
Now it's your turn to row the boat----
Ten months from now all those potholes and crumbling bridges will be Bobby Mc's fault
Who ya gonna blame then?
Timmy
Timmy
of course
pass the buck
But what about bobby mc's "plan" (wink, wink)?
You know, revenue from nonexistant oil wells, sellin off likka stores, general fund transfers gutting education and public safety, you know the "plan"?
There won't be any potholes or crumbling bridges come November 2010, and if there are they will be bobby mc's fault along with the lemmings that bought his "plan"
Good luck with that......
At least Bobby Mac is going
At least Bobby Mac is going after the oil and natural gas reserves off the coast of Virginia. Nobody including Deeds or the green weenies know if there are reserves or how much is there. I would rather buy my oil and natural gas from America rather than the middle east. Good luck with driving your car to back and forth to work using a wind turbine on the hood or solar panels.
sorry
I walk to work
Lucky you. Not everybody has
Lucky you. Not everybody has that convienence.
well...
"He must think we the voters are idiots."
The voters put President Obama in the White House so it isn't an unreasonable assumption.
So....
If you think those who voted for Obama are idiots, Then those who voted for Bush must be idiots also. It was confirmed the second time around. So the only ones who are not idiots are those who did not vote.
Well Deserved
Actually, I applaud Romney's honesty. He came to Virginia to endorse McDonnell because..."this state is important to us." Of course it is, the national republicans have flooded this Commonwealth with money for republican candidates because..."this state is important to us." It is all about the national political situation, and not about what is best for Virginia. The shocking condition of our public infrastructure that has deteriorated so badly in the last decade can be traced directly to the No Tax crowd in the House of Delegates where Bob was just part of the no tax crowd. The $7,800,000,000 in deferred maintenance, mostly in roads and bridges, is the proud legacy of his service in the House. And the worst part is the McDonnell does not deny the deterioration, he just won't pay for fixing it. Anyone who votes for McDonnell and his no tax cohorts deserve the bill for increased deferred maintenance and the state infrastructure in deplorable condition.
Are you from NC? And are
Are you from NC? And are you LDS?
Historical revisionism
For all of last century, there were only five Republican governors. Five out of twenty-eight! Heh. Looks like your party had more to do with this "shocking condition" than you're letting on.