Photos by Jared Soares | The Roanoke Times

Christie Stuart of Fairfield places a campaign sticker on her son Chandler Stuart, 4, during the Labor Day parade Monday in Buena Vista, usually the symbolic launch of the statewide campaigns in Virginia.

Democrat Mark Warner gives Traci Montgomery a hug Monday on the back of a pickup truck.

Republican Jim Gilmore shakes hands during the Labor Day parade in Buena Vista.

The crowd cheers Monday in a shelter at Glen Maury Park, ending point of the Labor Day parade in Buena Vista.

BUENA VISTA -- Republican Jim Gilmore and Democrat Mark Warner were all smiles and handshakes as they marched in Buena Vista's annual Labor Day parade Monday, promoting their candidacies for the U.S. Senate.

But the two former governors had little good will to expend on each other when they reached the end of the parade route at Glen Maury Park. Gilmore and Warner kicked off the fall election campaign in combative fashion, aggressively criticizing each other in speeches before cheering and jeering partisans crowded under a pavilion at the park.

Gilmore accused Warner of ducking televised debates, and criticized the Democrat's positions on taxes and energy policy. Warner fired back, portraying Gilmore as a caustic partisan who left the state in fiscal disarray after four years in the governor's office.

The former governors are competing for the Senate seat held by Republican John Warner, who will retire after 30 years in office. Mark Warner, who is not related to the senator, leads in public opinion polls and has a significant funding advantage over Gilmore.

Warner attracted national attention last week by delivering the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. And he had an enthusiastic following in Buena Vista on Monday as he jogged along Magnolia Avenue greeting parade watchers.

"I've been doing this parade for nearly 20 years, and I've never seen the kind of support I had this morning," Warner declared after reaching the end of the parade route.

Gilmore tried to dim that enthusiasm by attacking Warner's record and by latching him to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Gilmore criticized Warner for refusing to participate in a televised debate organized by the League of Women Voters of Virginia, saying Warner instead will rely on television ads that enable him to shade his policy positions.

"His goal is to cover up his positions on the issues," Gilmore said. "If this election is run on the issues, he loses. In fact, he's not electable."

The Buena Vista parade drew a host of political candidates that included U.S Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke County, and Democratic challenger Sam Rasoul; Libertarian Senate candidate Bill Redpath, and several running for statewide offices in 2009. But Gilmore and Warner were the main attractions.

Warner appeared to have stronger support than Gilmore along the parade route, though some of Warner's followers were less enthusiastic about Obama.

"He's [Warner is] just, all the way around, the man," said Jim Stanley, a retired roofer who shook hands and shared a laugh with Warner.

But when asked about Obama, Stanley said, "That's not going to work."

Stanley said he considered Obama's campaign promises to be unrealistic and predicted that "something's going to go sour in that deal."

Pat Beard, a Buena Vista resident attending her 38th Labor Day parade, said she's been going back and forth between the two presidential candidates.

"I was leaning toward Obama with Hillary, because I thought it would be great to have a lady in the White House," Beard said. "Now I'm leaning toward McCain with Palin. But I never know till I get in that booth and pull the lever."

Gilmore continued to emphasize energy policy, particularly his support for oil drilling offshore and in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He walked the parade route alongside a makeshift "oil rig" on a float and signs that read, "Drill Here, Drill Now, Vote Gilmore" and "ANWR or bust!"

Gilmore and Warner delivered blistering critiques of each other during brief speeches at Glen Maury Park, where supporters and campaign volunteers provided a noisy backdrop.

Gilmore assailed Warner for failing to finish the gradual elimination of the car tax, a program begun on Gilmore's watch. He also said Warner would allow the expiration of tax cuts initiated by President Bush and not do enough to increase domestic oil supply.

"There's a question of trust in this campaign -- who do you trust?" said Gilmore, sparking an eruption by sign-waving Warner supporters and campaign volunteers yelling their candidate's name.

Warner, who succeeded Gilmore as governor, followed the Republican to the microphone and punched back, recalling the state budget stalemate that occurred during Gilmore's last year in office.

"You have one candidate that is all about partisanship, all about attacks, all about tearing things down," Warner said. "The last thing Washington needs is somebody who couldn't even pass a budget when his own party controlled the legislature."

Warner called for a comprehensive energy policy that would allow offshore oil drilling while also boosting investments in developing alternative sources. He favors the elimination of Bush tax cuts that only benefit the wealthy, his campaign said.

Gilmore accused Warner of supporting federal legislation that would allow workers to organize unions without being required to hold secret-ballot elections. In an interview, Warner stopped short of backing the proposal, saying, "I think there's a way to make it more balanced."

Warner also stopped short of committing to a televised debate with Gilmore, saying his campaign is considering several debate proposals.

Goodlatte and Rasoul also have argued over debates in their congressional contest. Goodlatte declined to participate in a YouTube debate with Rasoul because the Web site collecting questions was operated by Rasoul's campaign.

Goodlatte said Monday that he does intend to participate in debates with Rasoul and independent candidate Janice Lee Allen later this fall.

"What we've said is we'll debate once the Congress adjourns," tentatively scheduled for Sept. 26, Goodlatte said.

Rasoul said that Goodlatte is just "playing politics."

"It's a classic example of incumbents not willing to partake in discussion that needs to happen," Rasoul said.