Former Senate Finance chairman and Stafford Republican senator John Chichester is endorsing the Democrat for governor.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sen. Creigh Deeds held a press conference in Richmond today to announce endorsements from Chichester and seven other Republican former legislators. The legislators will help form “Virginians for Deeds” and according to a press release, support “Deeds' efforts to carry on the tradition of keeping Virginia a low-tax state and the ‘best state for business’.”
Several of the former legislators sided with Chichester in budget battles against House Republicans in past years. They include former senators Russ Potts, Marty Williams, Brandon Bell and Warren Barry, along with former delegates Panny Rhodes, Jim Dillard and Katherine Waddell, an independent. According to the Deeds campaign, neither Williams nor Bell have endorsed a statewide Democratic candidate before, and both endorsed McDonnell in the 2005 attorney general’s race against Deeds.
Candidates regularly tout any support they receive from their opponent’s political party; McDonnell has previously announced the endorsements of people who were cabinet secretaries under former governor Mark Warner, as well as Warner’s director of minority business and the head of “Virginians for Warner.”
Chichester, who retired in 2007 after nearly 30 years in office, said in a telephone interview that he’s backing Deeds over his own party’s candidate, Republican Bob McDonnell, because of Deeds’ support for Chichester’s budget plans during tough fiscal times earlier this decade.
In 2003 and 2004, Chichester – the powerful leader of the Senate Finance Committee -- was a key player in the passage of a package of tax increases and cuts that helped save the state from losing its triple-A bond rating. Chichester credits that package with strengthening the stability of the state budget and preventing budget cuts.
It was a tough legislative fight, as Chichester led the Senate in supporting then-Gov. Mark Warner in passing the tax package, while many House Republicans – including McDonnell – opposed it.
“All those things came together and Creigh Deeds was there the entire time with fortitude and backbone to stand with us to accomplish that,” Chichester said. “I simply can’t turn my back on someone who’s stood with me during those not-so-pleasant times.”
Chichester’s push for that tax package helped make him something of a pariah amongst anti-tax Republicans, who felt the state should rethink its spending priorities instead of bringing in more revenue. The feeling was mutual, as Chichester disliked his party’s focus on social issues and refusal to consider tax increases in cases where Chichester thought they were necessary.
Chichester said McDonnell, as well as Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and attorney general candidate Ken Cuccinelli, were against the tax package.
Deeds and other Democrats in the Senate aligned with Chichester during that tax fight and other budget battles, as did the Republicans who endorsed Deeds today. Chichester said he thinks Deeds is a better choice for governor.
“He’s more in the mainstream of Virginia’s thinking. I think his philosophy is more in keeping with the way Virginia operates and her steadfast belief in fiscal restraint and fiscal prudence, but also moving Virginia forward within those confines,” Chichester said. “He’s sound in that regard.”
Chichester donated $3,000 to Deeds during the Democratic primary last month, and said he may give more. He still has more than $260,000 in his campaign account.
In an interview, Deeds said he thinks the endorsement of the eight former legislators, most of whom served with both him and McDonnell, is a strong statement about his own ability to work across party lines.
“This year there’s a lot of talk about bipartisanship, a lot of talk about reaching across the aisle. These guys know a little bit about that,” Deeds said. “I’m proud as I can be to get the support of people who know it’s not always about Democrats and Republicans … it’s about exercising independence.”
He said he believes the endorsements will help attract independent and Republican voters, and will do for his campaign what the endorsement of him by the Washington Post did for him in the primary.
“This will cause a lot of people to reconsider and reevaluate and take a look,” Deeds said. “I think this is a huge boost for our campaign and gives us a real leg up.”
In a statement, McDonnell spokeswoman Crystal Cameron said that McDonnell “respects and understands” the eight former legislators’ decision.
“They are backing the candidate, Creigh Deeds, who agrees with their support of greater government spending and higher taxes on the people of Virginia,” Cameron wrote. “It’s a basic philosophical disagreement. Bob believes we will create jobs and grow our economy by keeping taxes on Virginians low and exercising much needed restraint in government spending.”