RICHMOND - Virginia Republicans nominated state Sen. Ken Cuccinelli of Fairfax County as their candidate for attorney general Saturday, rounding out a solidly conservative statewide ticket headed by gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell and incumbent Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling.

Cuccinelli’s boisterous backers delivered him a first-ballot victory at the party’s state convention in Richmond, pushing him past former federal prosecutor John Brownlee of Roanoke County and attorney Dave Foster of Arlington County. Bolling easily withstood a long-shot challenge from Patrick Muldoon to gain the nomination for a second term as lieutenant governor.

Brownlee and Foster conceded to Cuccinelli before party officials could announce the results of the balloting and asked delegates to make Cuccinell’s nomination unanimous.

Brownlee leaned heavily on his record as a federal prosecutor in seeking the support of convention delegates. He was the only candidate in the GOP field with experience as a prosecutor, a qualification some Republicans considered essential heading into the fall campaign. The Democratic nominee, Del. Steve Shannon, has been an assistant prosecutor in Fairfax County.

But Cuccinelli had strong support from conservative activists at the heart of the GOP’s base, and said he would advocate the same agenda as a statewide official that he pursued as an outspoken legislator.

McDonnell, the former attorney general, formally accepted the Republican nomination for governor this morning, telling delegates at the state party’s convention that he will advance "innovative, workable, conservative solutions” to create jobs and generate economic growth in the state.

"The problems are clear and strong leadership and solutions are needed," McDonnell said in a speech to thousands of delegates gathered the Richmond Coliseum.

McDonnell’s nomination was the only certainty heading into this convention, where delegates will settle nomination battles for lieutenant governor and attorney general and pick a party chairman later today.

In his acceptance speech, McDonnell sought to define the stakes in a critical election. He recited a litany of challenges facing Virginia, from traffic congestion to skyrocketing college tuition rates, and he decried “too much talk about government programs, and too little about personal responsibility, and duty, and sacrifice.”

Republicans hope the two-day convention will serve as a springboard for a party trying to rebound from a string of recent election defeats. The GOP has lost the last two elections for governor and, in recent year, both of the Virginia’s U.S. Senate seats and a majority of the state’s congressional seats. Republicans last year failed to carry Virginia in a presidential election for the first time since 1964.

The Virginia governor’s race already is drawing national attention and will be viewed as an early test of Democratic strength following President Obama’s election. New Jersey is the only other state electing a governor this year.

Three Democrats – state Sen. Creigh Deeds of Bath County, former state Del. Brian Moran of Alexandria and former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe of McLean – are battling for their party’s nomination, which will be decided in a June 9 primary.

McDonnell was a conservative stalwart during his 14-year career representing Virginia Beach in the House of Delegates, and reminded delegates today to that he would be a “staunch defender of innocent human life” as governor. He touted his efforts as attorney general to crack down on Internet crimes and toughen penalties for violent sex offenders, drug dealers and gang members.

As a gubernatorial candidate, McDonnell also has made efforts to pull centrist voters back into the GOP fold with a pledge to focus on job creation and the financial stresses facing middle class families.

But McDonnell has been under attack by Democrats for opposing Gov. Tim Kaine’s plan to expand eligibility for unemployment benefits, a move that would have qualified the state for $125 million in federal stimulus funds. The Republican-run House of Delegates defeated Kaine’s plan last month.

The Democratic Governor Association has poured nearly $3 million into the state to bankroll an anti-McDonnell advertising blitz, further underscoring the stakes in this election.

McDonnell turned the tables this morning and sought to portray his Democratic rivals obstructionists, repeatedly insisting they would say “no” to offshore oil drilling, reducing government regulations and school reforms, among other things.

“They’ll just day no, and we’ll just say yes,” said McDonnell, as delegates joined him in the chanting the refrain.

“Regardless of who the Democrats choose on June 9th, there will be a clear choice for Virginians on November 3rd,” McDonnell said.

McDonnell was introduced by his daughter Jeanine, a U.S. Army veteran who served a tour of duty in Iraq, and was joined onstage by his entire family after his speech. After a speech by conservative television personality Sean Hannity, the delegates will get down to the contentious work of this convention.

 Pat Mullins of Louisa County was elected state GOP chairman, defeating  Bill Stanley, a lawyer from Franklin County.