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Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell gained the endorsement of the political arm of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, a development that could boost his candidacy in vote-rich Northern Virginia.

McDonnell, the former attorney general, got the endorsement less than a week after he and Democrat Creigh Deeds participated in a debate sponsored by the organization, which represents businesses in the state's largest county. Chamber representatives also interviewed the candidates separately before making an endorsement.

Transportation was a key issue that separated the candidates, said Fran Fisher, chairwoman of the chamber's political action committee. McDonnell has outlined a multifaceted transportation plan that relies partly on revenue that typically goes toward other state services, including public schools. Among other things, McDonnell has vowed to privatize the state's liquor stores to generate new transportation funds.

"His plan is working toward a solution, whereas Mr. Deeds has not proposed a plan, so we had no way of really comparing what the two had to say," Fisher said.

Deeds has not advanced a specific plan for funding transportation, saying he would work to build bipartisan support for a long-range plan that produces new revenue for roads and transit. In an op-ed column in Wednesday's Washington Post, Deeds reiterated that he would sign a bipartisan transportation bill that increases taxes, but would not divert money from the general operating budget to pay for roads.

The Fairfax chamber's endorsement does not necessarily translate into votes. The organization backed Republican Jerry Kilgore for governor in 2005, but Democrat Tim Kaine won 60 percent of the Fairfax County vote on his way to a statewide victory.

-- Michael Sluss