CHARLOTTESVILLE -- When the naysayers dismissed his chances of winning the Democratic nomination for governor, Creigh Deeds stuck to his long-held motto: "Always underestimated, never outworked."

The state senator who lives near the Cowpasture River in rural Bath County turned conventional wisdom on its ear Tuesday, capping a remarkable surge by winning the Democratic primary over two formidable rivals who live near the Potomac River in vote-rich Northern Virginia.

Deeds handily defeated former Del. Brian Moran of Alexandria and Terry McAuliffe of McLean, the former Democratic National Committee chairman whose fundraising prowess and national political connections threatened to suck the oxygen out of the three-way contest.

With 99 percent of the precincts reporting, Deeds had won nearly half the statewide vote and carried 10 of the state's 11 congressional districts, including all three Northern Virginia districts. Only about 6 percent of the state's registered voters participated in the primary, but the turnout was greater than many expected.

"No one could have imagined what we've accomplished in the commonwealth of Virginia tonight," Deeds said before a boisterous gathering of about 150 supporters at the Omni Charlottesville Hotel.

Deeds and his wife, Pam, climbed onto the stage to the strains of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin,' " a song emblematic of Deeds' improbable surge to a decisive victory. And Deeds fought back tears when he recalled how his mother, Emma Hicklin, a Bath County mail carrier, sent him off to college with four $20 bills.

Deeds will face Republican Bob McDonnell, the former attorney general, in the Nov. 3 general election. The contest will be a rematch of the 2005 race for attorney general, which McDonnell won by a mere 360 votes in the closest statewide election in Virginia history.

Deeds moved immediately to frame the debate with McDonnell, telling supporters he will take on the state's economic and budget problems with an eye toward protecting education and looking out for seniors and working families.

"The economy today has forced our leaders to make difficult choices about what priorities matter the most," Deeds said. "So I ask you tonight: Are those priorities our children, our seniors, displaced workers and our middle class families; or are they the priorities of the special interests with well-heeled lobbyists and the biggest corporations who say they are too big to fail?"

To punctuate the point, Deeds said, "I will never turn my back on children, on seniors and on working families who are the backbone of our middle class economy."

In a video message sent to supporters Tuesday night, McDonnell congratulated Deeds and said he looked forward to a debate over issues such as transportation funding, college tuition costs and energy policy.

"Virginians want and the commonwealth needs a positive vision and new ideas for the future," McDonnell said.

The Republican Governors Association gave an early indication of the attack plan against Deeds, issuing a statement noting his votes for a proposed gasoline tax increase last year and his support for a 2004 tax increase that then-Gov. Mark Warner pushed through the Republican-run legislature.

But Gov. Tim Kaine, now the head of the Democratic National Committee, said Deeds' win sends "a clear signal Virginians want to keep our state moving forward."

"Creigh Deeds has always been able to bring people together, build consensus and deliver results," said Kaine, who is constitutionally barred from seeking re-election. "That's exactly the approach that Virginians have supported over the past eight years, and I have no doubt that Creigh will work in a bipartisan way to keep building on the progress we've made."

A McDonnell-Deeds rematch adds a compelling story line to an election that already is getting national attention. Only two states are electing governors this year and the Virginia race will be viewed as key test for both political parties one year after Democrat Barack Obama carried the state in the presidential race.

The stakes are high for Democrats, with Kaine serving as Obama's handpicked chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Republicans are looking to rebound from a string of election defeats at the state and national level, and McDonnell's campaign could serve as a testing ground for the party's comeback strategy.

Deeds' prospects for winning the primary seemed so unlikely earlier this year that he found himself fending off speculation that he would drop out of the race. He lagged behind his rivals in fundraising, partly because he was legally prohibited from raising money during the 46-day General Assembly session. His campaign laid off a handful of field staffers last month to free up money for television ads, further fueling talk that the candidate was in trouble.

But Deeds held his own in a series of debates, made a late surge in the polls and gained a surprise editorial endorsement from The Washington Post, which passed over his two Northern Virginia rivals. In the final week, Moran and McAuliffe tried to blunt Deeds' momentum by attacking his legislative record, particularly his support for gun rights and his vote for a proposed gas tax increase.

Deeds defended his stances and said his rural background and centrist philosophy would better position him to forge compromises on difficult political issues such as transportation funding and expanding background checks at gun shows.

Democrats did not wait for the selection of a nominee to begin going after McDonnell. The Democratic Governors Association has been financing an advertising campaign attacking McDonnell, mostly for his opposition to a Kaine proposal that would have enabled the state to receive $125 million in federal stimulus money for unemployment benefits. Republicans defeated Kaine's plan during the General Assembly's April veto session.

McAuliffe brought big money, bold promises and an oversized personality to the campaign, but he could not close the sale with Virginia voters. McAuliffe raised about $7 million through the end of May, hired a big staff and was the first candidate to air television ads. His friend and political patron, former President Clinton, made two campaign swings with McAuliffe, including a visit to Roanoke last month. But, in the end, McAuliffe won only 26 percent of the vote.

Moran and McAuliffe both called Deeds to congratulate him by 8:30 p.m.

In remarks to supporters in Northern Virginia, McAuliffe pledged his support for Deeds and said: "We need a governor who has been a partner of Mark Warner and Tim Kaine's so that he can build upon their great work. Bob McDonnell will not continue that legacy. Creigh Deeds will."

mike.sluss@roanoke.com (804) 697-1585

julian.walker@pilotonline.com (804) 697-1564