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Moran visits Fredericksburg Date published: 5/27/2009
BY CHELYEN DAVIS
With the Democratic primary election for governor two weeks away, candidate Brian Moran stopped in Fredericksburg yesterday for endorsements by local party leaders. Amy LaMarca, Fredericksburg Democratic chair, former Stafford chair Dan Smolen and former Fredericksburg chair Scott Walker said they're supporting Moran in the three-way contest. Carlos Del Toro, a former House of Delegates candidate, and Fredericksburg Commonwealth's Attorney LaBravia Jenkins also are backing Moran, although they were not at the press conference. Moran, a lawyer and former state delegate from Alexandria, said the endorsements of "local, influential opinion-makers" is critical to his campaign. He called them "people who know their communities who know what needs to be done." Moran is competing against Bath County state Sen. Creigh Deeds and former national Democratic chairman Terry McAuliffe for the party's gubernatorial nomination. Moran said he has a record of working across the aisle to patch partisan differences, and said Democrats in the House of Delegates have made gains in recent years not by pushing party ideology but by "focusing on kitchen table issues" like health care and education. Those are among the things he wants to promote as governor: health insurance for all Virginia children, adding dental care to Medicaid coverage, offering a tax credit to help small businesses, crafting a home-owner's bill of rights and promoting the environment and the economy by opposing offshore oil and gas drilling, supporting alternative energy like wind and solar, and opposing a coal-fired plant in Surry. LaMarca said she's supporting Moran because he has "fought hard for this region for years." He has visited the area as a surrogate for other candidates in the past. Walker said he is backing Moran because of his experience and ability to tackle tough issues. Smolen said he knows and likes Deeds and McAuliffe, but that Moran's ability to work with Republicans helped earn his support. "He's gotten stuff done that nobody's been able to do," Smolen said. He also appreciates that when Stafford Democrats were trying to win a majority on the county's Board of Supervisors, Moran helped, offering advice, campaign money and serving as a sounding board for the framing of issues. With the primary election on June 9, Moran said he plans to keep reaching out to potential voters, explaining the distinctions between the candidates. "We must elect a Democrat to the governor's office, and I am the best candidate to beat Bob McDonnell in the fall," Moran said. Deeds and McAuliffe have also received some local endorsements, including Del. Albert Pollard, D-Lancaster, supporting Deeds, and Stafford supervisor George Schwartz, Spotsylvania Supervisor Hap Conners and Anita Harke, Culpeper Democratic chairwoman, supporting McAuliffe. Others for Deeds include include William Neely, commonwealth's attorney for Spotsylvania County; Maxie Rozell, Board of Supervisors in Caroline County; former Del. Butch Davies of Culpeper; C.W. "Moose" Dobson, sheriff of King George County. Chelyen Davis: 540/368-5028
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