The Friday Washington Post carries the newspaper's endorsement for Governor in the Virginia Democratic Primary: Sen. Creigh Deeds. The paper writes, "Mr. Deeds may not be the obvious choice in the June 9 primary, but he's the right one."
Hitting on one the campaign's major themes, the endorsement underscores just how this rural senator gets it when it comes to the transportation woes we face in Northern Virginia:
Unlike his opponents, Mr. Deeds has made clear that he would make transportation his first priority, vowing to tackle this region's greatest challenge while his political capital is at its height. His record suggests that he could make headway. Both Mr. Deeds and Mr. Moran supported the plan of Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D), ultimately gutted by the state Supreme Court, to generate millions in transportation funding. Last year, however, as both candidates were laying the groundwork for their campaigns, Mr. Deeds courageously voted for a proposal that included raising the state's gas tax, unchanged since 1986; Mr. Moran helped kill the bill by opposing it in committee. (Mr. McAuliffe says that he's not opposed to raising revenue for roads, but as with every other state issue, he has no record.) Mr. Deeds is in a unique position to persuade rural legislators to support a transportation funding proposal. As he once told The Post, "A gentleman from Lunenburg County called me up to say, 'I don't want my taxes to go up so they can build roads in Northern Virginia.' I said, 'Who do you think is paying for your schools?' Right now, the economic engine that has been driving Virginia has serious transportation woes. It's in the interest of every single Virginian, no matter where he or she lives, to fix that problem."
The governor's race is still anyone's ball game. While the other two campaigns have set about tearing each other apart, Creigh Deeds has been campaigning on better education and more job opportunities.
For progressives who fear that the rural Senator from Bath County is not progressive enough, I refer you to this passage in the Post endorsement:
Some progressive voters may look past Mr. Deeds, assuming he's too far to the right on social issues. They should look again. Yes, he describes himself as a supporter of the Second Amendment. He's willing, however, to put limits on gun ownership when the stakes are highest, brokering a compromise in an effort to close the state's notorious gun show loophole. His support for abortion rights and for an amendment to prohibit the Confederate flag emblem from being displayed on state license plates are all the more impressive considering the weight of conservative voters in his district.
Republican nominee Bob McDonnell is going to be a formidable opponent, and currently leads all three Democrats by varying percentages. But one thing is clear: Creigh Deeds knows how to take the fight to Bob McDonnell--he came a scant 323 votes from McDonnell four years ago. He can ably defend our turf, while taking in the rural areas that might go to Taliban Bob if we nominate either of Creigh's opponents.
We have a chance to keep our successes rolling in making Virginia a blue state. The best way to do that is to nominate Creigh Deeds for governor.