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Gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds pauses during the national anthem before Riverbend's football game Friday.
Creigh Deeds greets Riverbend spectators.
Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds shakes hands with spectators at the Spotsylvania County high school. |
BY CHELYEN DAVIS
Creigh Deeds faced a test of his skill as a politician last night.
The Democratic gubernatorial candidate was shaking hands at Riverbend High School's football game. But the Bears were playing Albemarle High School, which is in Deeds' state senate district.
At least one football fan asked him the critical question: Who was he rooting for?
"I'm rooting for everybody," Deeds said diplomatically. "I just want it to be a good game."
With the gubernatorial election less than a month away, Deeds can't afford to alienate voters (or football fans). Polls consistently show him running behind Republican opponent Bob McDonnell.
Deeds refuses to be fazed, however.
"Twenty days before the Democratic primary, I was 23 points down," he said in between handshakes. "I'm confident we're going to win this campaign too much is at stake."
At stake, for Deeds, is the difference between two futures: one in which he leads the state as Democratic predecessors Tim Kaine and Mark Warner did, and another in which his opponent blocks progress and focuses on an agenda of social issues.
Deeds' focus on McDonnell's grad-school thesis (in which McDonnell wrote about issues threatening families, and mentioned abortion, homosexuality and women in the workplace) has earned him some backlash. Recently newspaper articles cited Kaine and Rep. Jim Moran as urging Deeds to focus these remaining weeks on his own positive message.
Deeds said he's not changing campaign strategies, and that he's been running positive spots all along, as well as ads about McDonnell's thesis. He said about half his advertising comprises positive spots about his own history and proposals, and the other half is "contrast" ads against McDonnell.
Deeds said it's "appropriate to talk about records," and the thesis is a way to contrast his own record with McDonnell's.
He also said McDonnell is spending as much on negative advertising as Deeds is in total.
"I'm not the one running a negative campaign," Deeds said.
He said he has been running all along "for very positive reasons to create opportunity, prosperity and hope in every corner of the commonwealth."
Deeds said he does plan to talk up his plans for job creation, transportation and other issues. For instance, he said, the federal government is considering offering tax credits for companies that create new jobs, something Deeds has proposed at the state level.
It was difficult to tell from his reception among the football fans whether they were Deeds supporters or not. Most smiled and nodded and took the proffered hand, even some who were wearing McDonnell T-shirts. State Sen. Edd Houck helped as well, introducing Deeds to a couple of people as someone who worked hard for President Barack Obama last year.
Pundits and the media have been speculating about whether Obama will be a help or a hindrance to Deeds-- whether the president's popularity among black voters particularly will translate to Deeds, or whether the unpopularity of congressional spending and policies will hurt him. Deeds himself has said this week that goings-on in Washington aren't making things easier for him.
But, he said last night, Obama will come back to Virginia and campaign for him again before the election.
Chelyen Davis: 540/368-5028
Email: cdavis@freelancestar.com
