Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Former Gov. Mark Warner pursues U.S. Senate in Roanoke
U.S. Senate candidate Mark Warner stumps in Roanoke.
Photos by Sam Dean | The Roanoke Times
Former Gov. Mark Warner launches his campaign for the U.S. Senate with a stop at Roanoke's Fire Station No. 1 on Monday.
U.S. Senate candidate Mark Warner says the current party politics in Washington is hurting the country.
Mona Black (center) came out Monday to support Mark Warner's U.S. Senate campaign.
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roanoke.com/politics
Former Gov. Mark Warner insisted Monday that he is "proud to be a Democrat" as he pursues a seat in the U.S. Senate.
But as his campaign kickoff tour rolled through Roanoke, Warner tried to cast himself as an independent voice who can cut through the partisan static in the nation's capital.
"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, 53, is seeking the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retirement of Republican John Warner, who is not related to the former governor. Monday morning's Roanoke stop was part of a four-day statewide tour in which Mark Warner aims to reconnect with voters, tout his record as governor, and lay out his campaign's priorities.
Warner, who forged working coalitions with Republican legislators during his gubernatorial term, acknowledged growing voter disdain for the entrenched partisanship in Washington. He said he wants to be part of a group of 10 to 12 "radical centrists" from both parties who can advance practical policy solutions.
"I'm not sure the American public trusts either party enough to give them a blank check," said Warner.
In an effort to demonstrate Warner's bipartisan appeal, the campaign had prominent Roanoke businessman Heywood Fralin, a longtime supporter of Republican candidates, introduce Warner at his firehouse rally.
Fralin credited Warner's administration for putting Virginia "in pretty good shape."
"He was able to bring together Republicans and Democrats to provide real solutions to real problems," Fralin said. "Congress has proven over and over again that partisan politics will not solve our nation's problems."
Warner called for a gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, but said he opposes a fixed timetable or a pullback that would leave Iraq "a haven for terrorists." He said the U.S. should not have to bear most of the cost of Iraq's reconstruction while Iraq "is sitting on $70 billion in oil revenue."
Warner also called for an energy plan that creates jobs and reduces dependence on foreign oil and a "national competitiveness plan" for producing educated workers, affordable health care and improved transportation and broadband infrastructure.
"We live in the greatest country in the world and we can meet these challenges if we are willing to work together," Warner said.
Warner's opening campaign blitz resembled the tour he took to start his campaign for governor in 2001, when he made an aggressive effort to win votes in Southwest Virginia and rural areas. Warner also held rallies in Norfolk, Richmond and his hometown of Alexandria on Monday, joined by his wife, Lisa Collis, and two of their three daughters. The swing will continue this morning with rallies in Martinsville and three other cities.
Warner had more than $4.3 million in his campaign war chest at the end of March and is widely considered the 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.
Democratic leaders said they expect Gilmore to be the GOP nominee, and insist they are prepared for a tough fall campaign.
"I think Mark is going to maintain momentum," said state Democratic Party Chairman Richard Cranwell of Vinton, who attended Warner's Roanoke rally. "I don't think it's going to be without significant debate."
Warner touted his record as governor, ticking off his administration's achievements in education, children's health care and job creation. And he defended his efforts to combat budget shortfalls through a combination of spending cuts, government reforms and a 2004 tax increase that passed the Republican-run General Assembly.
Gilmore has assailed Warner for breaking a campaign promise to not increase taxes. Warner said he inherited a budget mess much worse than expected from Gilmore, his predecessor.
"We paid our debts, we kept our commitments and we didn't simply pass on our problem to the next guy," Warner said.
Warner even took a swipe at the "No Car Tax" slogan that defined Gilmore's 1997 gubernatorial campaign, saying: "It's not the three-word slogan that begins with 'No'; it's results that matter."
Gilmore fired back Monday, saying Warner "created the budget deficit to justify breaking his word to the people of Virginia."
"Mark Warner's deficit is a result of his faulty three-year revenue projections, which never materialized, and massive increases in spending during his time as governor," Gilmore said in a prepared statement.
Gilmore also linked Warner to Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and tried to depict the wealthy Democrat as being out of touch because he "doesn't worry about how to fill up his gas tank, how to put food on the table for his family or how to get his children through college."
Warner told reporters he is "anxious to lay out my record as governor and compare it to my opponent's. I'm anxious to lay out my bipartisan focus on results versus what may be the alternative."
