McDonnell's Campaign Chairman responds to Creigh

Over the past few weeks, you’ve no doubt seen the ample evidence that even core liberal Democrats don’t have much enthusiasm for their nominee for governor, Creigh Deeds. This lack of energy in his political base is a real problem for Deeds, and not surprisingly he’s begun taking steps to try to engender enthusiasm where lethargy now exists.

So last week the Teamsters Union pledged their “full support” of Deeds’ candidacy, and the Commonwealth welcomed President Obama for a political rally. Perhaps the most telling indicator, however, came Saturday in a call from Deeds to The Washington Post launching an attack against Bob McDonnell over his pro-life position.

Now, both candidates’ views on the issue of abortion are well known. As legislators, both have records they stand by on principle. Bob is pro-life and his record in this area is one of seeking and finding common ground, bringing together people with deeply held beliefs on things most Virginians can readily agree on, like banning the heinous procedure of partial birth abortion and ensuring that parents of minors in the Commonwealth have informed consent when a minor faces an unplanned pregnancy.

These policies enjoy broad support from Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly but, as The Washington Post notes, Creigh Deeds opposes them. Tomorrow, he’ll be rewarded for his extreme positions with a rally sponsored by NARAL, which clearly hopes to spur liberal activists to start manning phone banks and walking neighborhoods for their nominee. And he has more events planned statewide.

Though both candidates’ positions on abortion are well known, in this campaign only Bob McDonnell has made known his policies for creating jobs, improving our schools and roads and making energy more affordable. In fact, on the same day Deeds is joining NARAL for a rally on abortion, Bob will be meeting with hard hit workers and small business owners in Martinsville to talk about his plans for creating jobs in every corner of our Commonwealth.

Just two weeks ago at the Virginia Bar Association debate, Creigh Deeds said “we need to be focused, it seems to me, not on the politics of division” but “on the things that will allow us to build the best economy, the most prosperity we can for everybody in Virginia.” And yet on Saturday, when Bob was delivering the Republican response to President Obama’s national radio address and talking about job creation, energy policy and education reforms, Deeds was calling The Washington Post and making a divisive attack on abortion in an effort to try and motivate his core base. It’s clear that he’d rather debate anything but the issues that are on the top of most Virginia voters’ minds right now.

Perhaps that’s because Creigh Deeds’ polices would destroy jobs in Virginia, while Bob McDonnell’s would create them. Perhaps it’s because Deeds has a 94% lifetime rating from big labor unions and has promised to make them a “partner” in governing Virginia, while Bob has a 91% rating from Virginia’s small business owners. Perhaps it’s because Deeds can’t come up with a funding plan for new and better roads and dances around the reality that he’s going to raise taxes if he gets elected, while Bob has a detailed plan to improve transportation without raising taxes. Or perhaps it’s because he’s having a hard time getting his supporters off their duffs, while Bob has thousands of energetic volunteers rallying friends and neighbors to his positive agenda for Virginia.

Whatever the reason, most people understand that Bob’s views on life are consistent with his faith and his belief that innocent life should be protected.

Most people also understand that Bob McDonnell is focused on the problems Virginians face in these difficult economic times and putting forward commons sense solutions to make things better.

And that Creigh Deeds is not.

Ed Gillespie
Campaign Chairman