RICHMOND -- Former Gov. Jim Gilmore will bring his U.S. Senate campaign to the Roanoke Valley this week and continue to focus on pocketbook issues that he plans to emphasize in his contest with Democrat Mark Warner.

Gilmore will spend two days in the Interstate 81 corridor, the latest swing on a "working families tour" that he launched last month. Today's campaigning starts in Winchester and ends at Sayre Enterprises in Buena Vista at 7:45 p.m. His Tuesday schedule includes visits to the Orange Market on Thompson Memorial Drive in Roanoke County, the University BP gas station in Radford and the James Hardie building products plant in Pulaski.

Gilmore, the Republican nominee, will focus primarily on his ideas for combating skyrocketing gas prices, which both candidates have identified as a major campaign issue.

Gilmore and Warner, who served back-to-back terms in the governor's office, are competing for the Senate seat held by Republican John Warner. John Warner, who is unrelated to the former governor, is retiring after three decades in the Senate.

Mark Warner holds a significant funding advantage and leads Gilmore in early public opinion polls. Warner's first television ads hit the air in June, and the Democrat has been emphasizing his record of handling state finances and building bipartisan coalitions.

Since winning the Republican nomination in May, Gilmore has stressed issues such as gas prices and taxes and has cast his campaign as a "crusade" for working families struggling to make ends meet.

Gilmore has called for lifting prohibitions on drilling off U.S. coastlines and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, saying greater domestic oil production can contain skyrocketing gas prices. Warner has outlined a multifaceted approach to the energy crisis that includes clamping down on market speculators, pressuring oil-producing nations to increase supply and taking steps to expand the United States' energy resource portfolio. The Democrat also wants to boost incentives for purchasing hybrid vehicles and increase research and development of alternative energy sources.

Gilmore argues that Warner's proposals would provide little immediate relief for motorists struggling to cover the cost of gasoline. Gilmore said the problem is worse for residents in rural areas who face long commutes and have little access to public transportation.

"They can't take the bus or the Metro to work; they can't telework," Gilmore spokeswoman Ana Gamonal said.

But studies suggest that Gilmore's "drill here, drill now" approach is not a panacea, either. The federal Energy Information Administration has concluded that expanding drilling access in the Atlantic, Pacific and eastern Gulf regions "would not have a significant impact" on oil production or prices before 2030.

"I think most Virginians see through the shallow gimmickry of 'drill here, drill now,' " Warner spokesman Kevin Hall said.

Gilmore argues that the U.S. would send a message to speculators by demonstrating its intent to increase domestic production.

"When the oil speculators know the United States is serious about drilling here and taking real conservation measures, the price of gasoline will start going down," Gilmore said last month.

Hall said Warner supports legislation sponsored by John Warner that would allow for natural gas exploration off the Virginia coast, but has concerns about oil drilling. Warner also opposes oil drilling in the Alaskan wilderness preserve, as do both major-party presidential candidates.

Gilmore supports drilling in Alaska and is undeterred by the opposition of Republican presidential candidate John McCain. Gamonal noted that McCain also had opposed offshore drilling before reversing his position last month.

Warner and Gilmore already are sparring over their records as governor, particularly on issues of fiscal management. Gilmore, who championed the gradual phaseout of the personal property tax on cars, has criticized Warner for raising taxes as governor.

Warner has blamed Gilmore for leaving him with budget shortfalls that forced him to slash spending before steering a 2004 tax increase through a Republican-run General Assembly. The new tax revenue was necessary to shore up long-term funding for essential services, Warner has insisted.

Warner and Gilmore will get their first chance to exchange views in a face-to-face setting July 19, when they are scheduled to appear at The Homestead in Bath County for a debate sponsored by the Virginia Bar Association.

Gamonal said Gilmore hopes "to debate Mark Warner as often as possible."

Hall said of the upcoming debate: "Governor Warner is eager to compare his record and his approach to government and his vision for moving the country forward."