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Cuccinelli Declares Candidacy for Governor in 2013
Wow, the end of the week has certainly been busy in Virginia politics, as Ken Cuccinelli has declared he will be running for the Republican nomination for Governor, and Mark Obenshain has declared that he will be exploring a bid for Attorney General in 2013. While Cuccinelli’s decision to run for Governor caught many by surprise, it will nonetheless provide some excitement at the RPV Advance this weekend. (I am sad to say that I will not be in attendance this year, due to some other scheduling conflicts…i.e., it is the last road race of the season…more on this later.)
Cuccinelli said in a letter to his staff at the Office of the Attorney General (Source: WTVR):
OAG colleagues,
You have likely heard in the media the many rumors about an announcement of a run for governor. While I wanted to wait to announce a candidacy until after the General Assembly session, as the rumors swirl, I find it necessary to put them to rest.
After much prayer and consideration, I have decided to run for governor in 2013. I have always intended to let you know before the media. Shortly after you receive this email, I will be sending a statement to the media announcing my candidacy.
Being attorney general is the best job of my life, and working with so many bright and dedicated professionals in this office has made it a true joy.
We have protected vulnerable citizens from fraud, worked to get gangs off the streets through intervention as well as prosecution, saved taxpayers from millions in Medicaid fraud, fought for fair utility prices for consumers, provided our clients with official legal opinions that have never been overruled by any court, and stood up to the federal government when it broke the law and infringed on the sovereignty of Virginia and the liberty of her people.
We will continue this work together until the last day of my term. Just as I had intended not to resign as attorney general to run for a second term, I will not resign as attorney general to run for governor. The people of Virginia trusted me to be their attorney general, and I intend to give them their full four years. I also think it is important to see these lawsuits against the federal government all the way through, as they are unprecedented battles for liberty in our lifetimes.
I am committed to you and to the citizens of this commonwealth to leading this office and making this job my priority. I have no right to ask the voters for a promotion if I cannot continue to do my current job well.
I know many of you are wondering why I decided to run for governor instead of for re-election. As so many former attorneys general know from being legal counsel to every agency of state government, this job gives you tremendous insight and perspective on the inner workings of state government that no other job can provide.
Being governor of the commonwealth and all its agencies is truly a massive task, and with only four years to do it, there is little time for on-the-job training. That is especially true when Virginia and the entire country are facing unprecedented economic challenges, a bullying federal government, and financially strapped citizens who are demanding that we ensure every dollar taken from their families to pay for government is a dollar that is spent wisely. When Governor McDonnell finishes his successful term, I am convinced his successor needs to hit the ground running to keep the momentum moving forward in the face of federal and economic challenges.
I hope you have known me long enough to know that I do this out of my love for our commonwealth and to further the principles on which this country was founded. Although I originally expected to serve as attorney general for another term, my job is that of public servant, and I feel that two years from now, I can best serve the people of Virginia from the governor’s office.
Thank you for your dedication to this office and to the people we serve. I look forward to our continued work together and our successes during the remaining two years of my term.
Ken
With the announcement, Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling released a statement saying that he was shocked by Cuccinelli’s decision.
“Needless to say, I am very disappointed by Mr. Cuccinelli’s decision to run for Governor in 2013. During the 2009 campaign, and since taking office in 2010, Mr. Cuccinelli had repeatedly stated that he intended to seek re-election as Attorney General in 2013 and that is what I and other Republican leaders had expected him to do. Unfortunately, he has now decided to put his own personal ambition ahead of the best interests of the Commonwealth and the Republican Party.
“In 2009, Governor McDonnell and I gave Virginia Republicans a blueprint for how to win statewide elections in Virginia. It started with our decision to join together and offer a united vision for the future of our state. In order to make that possible, I decided to seek re-election to the office of Lieutenant Governor and support Bob McDonnell’s campaign for Governor. Unlike Mr. Cuccinelli, I set aside my personal ambition and did what was right for the Commonwealth and our party.
“I have consistently stated my intention to run for Governor in 2013, and Mr. Cuccinelli’s announcement will not alter my intended course. After serving 10 years in the State Senate and 6 years as Lieutenant Governor, I am uniquely prepared to succeed Governor McDonnell and lead Virginia into the future. I have also served for 2 years in Governor McDonnell’s cabinet, which has provided me with the experience and knowledge of the executive branch of state government that is necessary to continue our successes. Throughout my public service I have provided conservative, results oriented leadership, and I have worked with Republicans and Democrats to get things done for the people of Virginia. That experience and record of results enables me to reach out to conservative and independent voters and makes me the strongest candidate for Governor in 2013.
“In the months to come I will keep my focus on doing a good job as Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor, fulfilling my responsibilities as our state’s Chief Jobs Creation Officer, and working to elect Republican candidates in 2012. I will also continue doing the work I have been doing to lay the foundation for my own gubernatorial campaign in 2013. If I do that work well, the political future will take care of itself.”
Granted, Bolling has every right to be upset. However, he stepped aside during the 2009 election for Bob McDonnell to run, and Cuccinelli never promised that he would step aside to allow Bolling to remain unopposed for the Republican nomination. However, Bolling’s response did not come across that great. He should have welcomed Cuccinelli into the race and make this an opportunity to address the issues facing the Commonwealth in 2013.
With Cuccinelli entering the race, this will provide a choice. Cuccinelli has been popular with tea party activists and has always stood on principle, even when it might not have been the most popular choice.
2013 is still a long way off. We do have an election to focus on in 2012, and it is one that is especially crucial, as we will be deciding on whether to continue our country down the wrong track or bring it back to a climate for economic prosperity and job growth.
Governor Bob McDonnell to Deliver Republican Address to Nation
Governor Bob McDonnell will be delivering the Republican address to the nation, following the State of the Union Address on January 27th. McDonnell was invited to give this address by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and House Republican Leader John Boehner (Ohio).
WASHINGTON, DC –House Republican Leader John Boehner (OH) and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) announced today that Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell will give the Republican address following the President’s State of the Union address to Congress on January 27, 2010. Further details regarding location, coverage and exact time will be released in the days ahead.
In making the announcement, Leader Boehner noted the Governor’s leadership on the economy and offering solutions to help create jobs and put Virginians back to work:
“As the American people continue to ask, ‘where are the jobs,’ Gov. McDonnell has offered common-sense economic policies in stark contrast to Washington Democrats’ job-killing agenda. We don’t need a government takeover of health care or a ‘cap-and-trade’ national energy tax – we need a common-sense plan to help middle-class families and small businesses and allow them to keep more of what they earn so they can save, invest, and hire.”
Leader McConnell said the Governor understands the frustration of Americans and is a leader who offers common sense solutions:
“Gov. McDonnell understands that the American people are more interested in shrinking unemployment than expanding government. He is an impressive public servant and an excellent choice to offer Republican solutions for our country.”
NOTE: Bob McDonnell is the recently inaugurated 71st Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. In the 2009 gubernatorial campaign he received the most votes of any candidate for Governor in the history of Virginia. Prior to running for Governor, Mr. McDonnell served as the 44th Attorney General of Virginia. He represented the 84th District, Virginia Beach, in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1991-2005. Before his election to the House, McDonnell served as a prosecutor in the Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office. He also served 21 years in the U.S. Army, both active duty and reserves, and retired as a Lt. Colonel in 1997. He is married to the former Maureen Gardner of McLean, and they have five children, ages 18-29. Their oldest daughter, Jeanine, recently completed service in the U.S. Army, including a tour of duty in Iraq in 2005-2006.
Could Virginia's Term Limits for Governor be ending?
Cato at Delmarva Dealings writes that Bob McDonnell is proposing the end of a one-term governorship. In a practice that has gone back to the time of Thomas Jefferson, why so quick to eliminate term limits?
Live Blog of the McDonnell-Deeds Debate
I am a little late to the game tonight, and I have missed the opening statements of the debate. Right now, the debate format is allowing an open discussion about transportation. Deeds is not being clear on the tax increases, yet he came back to the fact that he does not rule out raising taxes. Deeds also mentioned that he believes in leadership and would appoint a committee to come up with a transportation plan. McDonnell talked about how his plan for improving transportation, while mentioning that Creigh Deeds does not have a transportation plan.
In terms of the budget, Deeds had difficulty answering which programs he would cut and he mentioned that he would be utilizing the general fund to help address the budget crisis. McDonnell laid out how he would cut spending by doing an internal review of each of the departments at the state level to see what’s working and what’s not. McDonnell also mentioned that he would allocate a portion of the budget towards improving education in Virginia.
The question period, then turned to the negative campaigning by both candidates. Creigh Deeds defended the thesis allegations and said that Virginians have a right to know where Bob stands on social issues. Bob McDonnell talked about where he stands on the social issues. McDonnell is against partial-birth abortion, and we need to adopt a fatherhood initiative. McDonnell mentioned that his main focus will be on boosting employment and the economy.
The moderator called Deeds out on the 35 bills claim and clarified that it was only 8 bills. Deeds tried to refute this.
Now, both candidates are back to focusing on the economy. The question focused on the stimulus legislation and why we are last in spending the transportation funding. McDonnell pointed out that it would help if we had a full-time governor to address these issues. McDonnell said he would focus on improving the employment situation and boosting a job initiative. McDonnell has talked with business owners across the Commonwealth and would reduce taxes to help stimulate the economy.
Deeds said that the Governor has done the best he could with the stimulus situation and blamed the lack of shovel ready projects. Deeds mentioned that we need a tax credit for every job created. The two pillars of infrastructure we need to focus on is education and transportation.
The moderator, then turned the questions, asked how they would fund higher education initiatives. Creigh Deeds mentioned his plan to make college more affordable by saying if a student holds a B average, then they would receive lower tuition.
McDonnell indicated that we need to make college more affordable and accessible. His plan is to create 100,000 degrees by allocating a portion of the budget to improving the education.
The next question focused on improving health care for Virginians. McDonnell and Deeds are against the public option, but both indicated that they are committed to finding ways to help make health care more affordable in the Commonwealth.
In terms of climate change. Deeds wants to ensure that our environment is going to last, so he is in favor of climate change legislation. McDonnell mentioned MeadWestvaco, which is located in Deeds’ State Senate district, will be impacted by cap and trade. McDonnell said it is bad policy, as it would harm the coal industry and drive businesses out of Virginia.
The next question focused on the Governor’s Opportunity Fund. McDonnell, as Delegate, voted against the bill, but he mentioned that he would double the fund, as it would help with boosting employment in the Commonwealth. McDonnell mentioned his strong business record.
Deeds dodged this question, and went back to climate change. Deeds discussed his endorsements by the League of Conservation Voters and Sierra Club, and he said he is against the cap and trade bill. (Note: During his time as a legislator, Deeds voted for cuts to the Governor’s Opportunity Fund in 2007, 2008, and 2009.)
Nice question: Who is the Governor you admire the most? Deeds has learned from Doug Wilder, Mark Warner, and Tim Kaine, but he greatly admires Jerry Beliles. McDonnell admired George Allen, because of his strong leadership and how he managed the state.
Closing Statements: Deeds said he would work to create prosperity, hope, and growth within the Commonwealth. Deeds said he would create jobs, improve education, and bring Virginians together to improve transportation. Deeds attacks McDonnell for being a smooth talker and referring to him as being dishonest. Deeds said he would operate in the Warner-Kaine tradition.
McDonnell talked about being a public servant and how he has outlined a strong vision for moving Virginia forward. McDonnell wants a comprehensive energy plan, and said that we need to keep taxes low, while reducing spending. He also highlighted his service as Attorney General and how he would work in a bipartisan matter.
My take on the debate:
Well, you can tell who will continue the Warner-Kaine legacy of raising taxes. Creigh Deeds will continue this tradition, and during these troubling economic times, we definitely do not need this style of leadership. Throughout the debate, I noticed at point that Deeds was getting frustrated and he even dodged an important question about the Governor’s Opportunity Fund. It’s troubling that Deeds wants to place transportation improvements to a committee, instead of taking initiative and being a leader. Being a leader means taking a stance and not backing down, and I just do not see that in Deeds.
On the other hand, Bob McDonnell did a good job defending his initiatives and proposing a solid vision for improving Virginia. He has a plan for improving education, the economy, and boosting employment. McDonnell has proven leadership, and even when times were challenging, he did not back down. His endorsements from pro-business organizations and the Fraternal Order of Police proves that he is a committed leader. Virginia will be in good hands with McDonnell as Governor.
Tax or Not to Tax–What is the answer, Creigh?
When will Democratic candidate for Governor, Creigh Deeds, stop flip flopping around whether or not he will raise taxes? At last night’s debate, Deeds said that the ads running against him on his tax increase stances are not true. Deeds did make comments about raising taxes. He did so after the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce debate, and it was if he was proud of making the remark.
Our economy is in a downward spiral, and we need more pragmatic solutions than raising taxes to address boosting our revenue.
McDonnell Fires Back at Deeds
Bob McDonnell fired back at Creigh Deeds over the recent attacks on a thesis paper written 20 years ago. McDonnell released two campaign ads, which will be appearing in all of the major media markets throughout the Commonwealth. “Deceitful” focuses on the responses from newspapers across Virginia about Deeds’ attacks on McDonnell. “Working Woman” features McDonnell’s daughter, Jeanine, talking about the values her father taught her as well as her service in the U.S. Army.
“Deceitful”
“Working Woman”
Creigh…Where's Your Transportation Plan?
So far, we have not seen a transportation plan from Creigh Deeds. At Monday’s Labor Day Parade in Buena Vista, Deeds was asked by a reporter whether or not he has a plan for transportation.
Reporter: Are we gonna see something a little bit more detailed before the debate up in Fairfax?
Deeds: You know, Jeff, I’ve laid out a pretty detailed plan.
Several newspapers (Waynesboro News-Virginian, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Roanoke Times, and The Washington Post) have all noted the lack of a transportation plan from Deeds. Crickets are still chirping and we are still waiting to see the Deeds transportation plan.
What is Creigh Deeds' Focus?
So…after focusing on Bob McDonnell’s thesis, we finally learn what Creigh Deeds will be focusing on: improving the economy. However, one has to ask where is his plans for boosting the economy, how he plans to bring more jobs to Virginia, etc.
