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Brian Moran (left), Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, and Terry McAuliffe, the three Democratic candidates for Virginia governor, laugh together after their final debate in Annandale.
Brian Moran (left) debates Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, and Terry McAuliffe, in the last debate of the three Democratic gubernatorial candidates. |
ANNANDALE
--The three Democrats vying to run for governor held their fifth and final debate here yesterday, a last opportunity to draw contrasts between themselves and make their pitch to primary voters.Former national Democratic operative Terry McAuliffe, who has never held elected office before, cast himself as someone who could bring new ideas to state government, while former Del. Brian Moran and state Sen. Creigh Deeds repeatedly stressed their experience as state legislators.
The debate, held at Northern Virginia Community College's Annandale campus, was sponsored by The Washington Post and News Channel 8, with moderators using both their own questions and some submitted by the public.
The Democratic primary is June 9.
This has been a race where the differences are more of style than of substance, and in the debate, the three men's answers were similar on several topics.
All three promised to improve transportation in Virginia, with Deeds vowing his plan would cover transportation needs statewide and eschew the regional transportation authorities that were prominent parts of recent transportation proposals in Richmond.
All three said better roads and transit options are key to bringing more jobs to the state, and that jobs are the most important issue for the next governor.
While the three men all advocate alternative-energy proposals, such as wind energy, they differ on whether Virginia should drill for gas and oil offshore.
Deeds says yes, Moran and McAuliffe say no, although McAuliffe favors limited exploration for natural gas.
The three men touted their support for public education in response to a question about teaching financial literacy in schools. Moran said he advocates preschool, well-paid teachers and small class sizes; Deeds talked about the importance of pre-K education and making college affordable; and McAuliffe said financial education should be part of the high school curriculum.
All three of them indicated they would support adoption by gay couples.
"When it comes to figuring out how a child should be raised, the emphasis should be on what's the best interest of the child," Deeds said. "I don't have any problem at all with a child being adopted by two loving parents, male, female, same sex, traditional couple."
McAuliffe agreed and said he favors same-sex civil unions. Moran also agreed, but also argued that without repeal of Virginia's constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage or civil unions, it's difficult to move the discussion to adoption. He said repealing that amendment would be a priority as governor.
As has become a pattern between the three, Moran was aggressive in attacking McAuliffe, with Deeds also going after McAuliffe on occasion.
"I don't have time to teach you the legislative process, nor do Virginians have time for you to learn," Moran told McAuliffe after McAuliffe prodded him about votes on payday-lending bills.
McAuliffe accused Moran of practicing "the divisive politics of trying to tear people down," after Moran questioned his claim to have created jobs.
Deeds questioned McAuliffe's ability to deliver on all his campaign promises. McAuliffe said the state needs to do what he's promised to catch up to neighboring states, and that Virginia's ability to pay for his proposals hinges on economic growth.
"Do you want to get out of bed saying 'I want to be 50th'?" McAuliffe asked. "No. You shoot for the moon. John Kennedy didn't say 'I want to take a rocket halfway to the moon.'"
The Democrats will choose their nominee in three weeks, in the primary. The winner will face Republican Bob McDonnell, and Deeds and McAuliffe took shots at him in their closing statements.
McAuliffe said any of the three of them would be better than McDonnell.
Chelyen Davis: 540/368-5028
Email: cdavis@freelancestar.com
