Photos by Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

David Grant, a Virginia Tech student and editor of the Collegiate Times newspaper, starts off Wednesday's debate by asking the candidates about requiring background checks for firearms sold at gun shows.

Former Del. Brian Moran (from left), state Sen. Creigh Deeds and former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe converse Wednesday night during a debate among Virginia's Democratic candidates for governor at the Lyric Theatre in downtown Blacksburg.

BLACKSBURG -- The intensity and volume of the arguments among the three Democratic candidates for governor escalated Wednesday night, when they debated gun control, gay rights and their credentials as party leaders before a full house at the Lyric Theatre.

The sharp exchanges had the candidates shouting at times. And one of them, former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe, once doubled over, grasped his knees and laughed in mock exasperation as criticism was piled on him by his rivals.

"This is what happens when you're ahead in the most recent poll," McAuliffe said.

State Sen. Creigh Deeds of Bath County and former Del. Brian Moran of Alexandria stepped up attacks on McAuliffe, challenging his record as DNC chairman from 2001 to 2005. Moran pointed out that Democrats lost seats in both houses of Congress and a presidential election during that period. And Deeds said McAuliffe refused to provide national party funds for Democratic House of Delegates candidates in the 2001 election cycle, after a Republican redistricting plan decimated Democratic election hopes.

It was the fourth of five debates for the Democratic candidates leading up to the June 9 primary. The primary winner will face Republican Bob McDonnell in the November general election.

The debate was organized by Democratic-leaning blogs and the Collegiate Times newspaper, and many questions for the candidates were submitted over the Internet before and during the debate.

David Grant, the editor of the Collegiate Times, started off the debate by asking whether the candidates support requiring background checks for all firearms sales at gun shows, invoking the April 16, 2007, shootings at Virginia Tech. A state panel that investigated the shootings recommended closing the "gun show loophole" and all three candidates said they favored it.

Moran criticized Deeds for amending a Senate-sponsored bill to create exceptions for concealed carry permit-holder and antique weapons sales. Deeds said the amendments were needed to get the bill through the Senate, and that someone with his rural background has a better chance of making headway on the issue as governor.

"I think it's going to take someone like me, who comes from a part of the state where Second Amendment rights are respected," Deeds said.

Moran said he would fight to repeal the state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages, which was approved in a 2006 referendum. He called the General Assembly's approval of the amendment one of his "darkest days" as a legislator and criticized Deeds for voting for it. Deeds said he supported putting the amendment on the ballot but voted against it in the referendum.

McAuliffe drew criticism from Moran for questioning whether any governor could get political support for repealing the amendment. Moran also challenged McAuliffe's assertion that he has "never attacked another Democrat," recalling an ad attacking Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential primary. The ad was run by then-Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign, which McAuliffe headed.

"You take credit for running her campaign, Terry, take some responsibility," said Moran, drawing a mixture of laughter and catcalls from the audience.

McAuliffe defended his record as DNC chairman, and his campaign distributed a video after the debate in which Moran's brother, U.S Rep. Jim Moran of Alexandria, praised McAuliffe's efforts.

McAuliffe, who has raised more than $5 million for his campaign, said he can help elect "like-minded" Democrats to the House of Delegates, where Republicans have a majority. Moran said Democrats will be well-financed in any case, partly because Gov. Tim Kaine is chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

At one point, Moran and McAuliffe were shouting at each other from behind their lecterns with Deeds standing silently between them. Deeds raised his own voice moments later when he claimed to be the Democrat best positioned to knock off McDonnell. Deeds lost the 2005 attorney general's race to McDonnell by just 360 votes.

"I'm the only one on this stage who's run a statewide campaign," Deeds said. "I've proven I can win in Democratic areas. I can win in Republican areas."

Deeds and Moran have used the debates to portray McAuliffe as an outsider who has more in common with the high rollers who are contributing to his campaign than with middle class Virginians. McAuliffe said he can bring "a fresh approach" to spark job growth in the state, and he repeatedly used his time Wednesday to promote his plans to boost the state's economy.

"People are hurting and I've seen it as I've traveled all over Virginia," McAuliffe said. "People look for somebody to come in who has not been part of the partisan battles down in Richmond."