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Good people of rural Virginia: Jerry Kilgore has considered the economic distress left behind in your regions by the textile, furniture, coal, tobacco and other industries.

He knows of your need for economic development assistance and decent-paying jobs. Not to mention Medicaid coverage for your struggling poor. And schools with enough resources to help children succeed rather than just move away. And the roads and other public infrastructure required to compete in the 21st-century economy.

Never fear. Kilgore has an answer:

He will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you in defense of your twang.

In fact, your distinctive regional accent needn't even be attacked for Kilgore to leap into action. Tim Kaine, Kilgore's expected Democratic foe in this fall's gubernatorial election, never mocked the Republican's - or anybody's - accent. That hasn't kept Kilgore and his campaign staff from saying he did and giving him grief by the bucketful for it.

But, you may ask, if your accent hasn't been attacked, why does it need defending?

Silly. So that rural Virginians will remember some elites in some parts of the state consider you, well, you know. And also remember that Kilgore is one of you.

And that you all should resent those prosperous urban and suburban folks elsewhere in the state. And that Kilgore is one of you.

Did we mention that you should be resentful?

And that Kilgore is one of you?

But how can you be sure of these things when you enter the voting booth? Well, if Kilgore leaps to defend your twang when no one has attacked it, imagine what he'd do in the event of an actual assault. You can't help knowing he thinks rural Virginians are as good as anybody, even if that Tim Kaine feller suggests otherwise.

Which he hasn't.

As for those other, less-important issues - jobs, schools, highways and such - being shunted aside while Kilgore focuses on his manufactured twang controversy: Don't consider his neglect irresponsible. Consider it a reflection of his simple, fundamentally frugal approach to government.

He could be talking up ideas for economic development, restoring fiscal health to Virginia's transportation services and paying for schools, health care and higher education. But those problems are hard to solve and politically troublesome, not to mention expensive.

Resentment is cheap and easy.