Former Gov. Mark Warner brought the kickoff tour for his U.S. Senate campaign to Roanoke this morning, saying he wants to prove that "Virginia independence can bring real and measurable results."

"I want Virginians to hire me again so I can go to Washington to try to end the political gridlock so we can finally get things done and get our country back on the right track," Warner said to a crowd of about 250 supporters at Roanoke’s new Fire Station No. 1. "I don’t know about you, but if there’s ever a time for a little bit of Virginia thinking in Washington, it’s right now."

Warner, a Democrat, is seeking the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retirement of Republican John Warner, who is not related to the former governor.

Mark Warner, who forged working coalitions with Republican legislators during his gubernatorial term, acknowledged voter disdain for the entrenched partisanship in Washington and vowed to seek bipartisan alliances in the Senate.

"I don’t think the American people trust either party enough to give them a blank check," Warner said.

To showcase Warner’s bipartisan appeal, the campaign had Roanoke businessman Heywood Fralin, a longtime supporter of Republican candidates, introduce the candidate at his firehouse rally.

"My guess is that everyone here pretty much has the same priorities," Fralin said in his introduction of Warner.

The Roanoke stop was part of a three-day kickoff tour for Warner’s Senate campaign, which actually began last fall. The tour resembles the one Warner took to start his campaign for governor in 2001, when he made an aggressive effort to win votes Southwest Virginia and rural areas of the state. Warner’s wife Lisa Collis and two of their three daughters joined him for today’s campaign swing.

Warner, 53, has more than $4 million in his campaign war chest and is widely considered a front-runner in the race. Former Gov. Jim Gilmore is seeking the Republican nomination, and faces opposition from state Del. Bob Marshall of Prince William County.

Warner touted his record as governor, ticking off his administration’s achievements in education, children’s health care and bringing jobs to Southwest Virginia. And he defended his efforts to combat budget shortfalls through a combination of spending cuts and a 2004 tax increase that passed the Republican-controlled General Assembly.

Gilmore has assailed Warner for breaking a campaign promise to not increase taxes. Warner said that he inherited a budget mess much worse that expected.

"We paid our debts and kept our commitments," Warner said. "We didn’t just pass on the problem to the next guy."

In a reference to Gilmore’s 1997 "No Car Tax" campaign slogan, Warner said: "It’s not the three-word slogan that begins with ‘No,’ it’s results that matter," he said.

Warner called for a gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, but said he opposes a fixed timetable. He also called for an energy plan that reduces dependence on foreign oil and a "national competitiveness plan" for producing educated workers, affordable health care and improved infrastructure.

After his speech, Warner showed no enthusiasm for proposals by presidential candidates John McCain and Hillary Clinton to suspend the federal gas tax for the summer months. Clinton has said she would replace the revenues with a windfall profits tax on oil companies.
"I would be concerned about whether those dollars would be replaced," said Warner, noting that gas tax revenues pay for transportation improvements.

"I think what we need is a solution that goes after the oil speculators to try to bring down the gas price," said Warner, adding that a stronger dollar and a new energy policy could ease pressure on gas prices.