Related

• Political and campaign coverage, including multimedia, resources, endorsements, maps and more

roanoke.com/politics

• State, local and national political coverage, Virginia General Assembly and gubernatorial politics

RICHMOND -- The rhetoric in the Virginia attorney general's race took on a sharp edge Thursday, with Democrat Steve Shannon invoking segregation and slavery while criticizing the philosophy of Republican rival Ken Cuccinelli.

Shannon's attack drew a rebuke from Cuccinelli, who accused the Democrat of "race baiting" in the closing days of their heated campaign. The exchange between the attorney general hopefuls punctuated a lively debate before Richmond-area lawyers just a few blocks from the office one of the candidates will occupy in January.

Shannon, a delegate from Fairfax County, charged that Cuccinelli wants to be a "states' rights attorney general." Shannon took note of the Republican's emphasis on fighting the federal government and his fondness for the motto "Don't Tread on Me," the legend on the yellow Gadsden flag that has become an unofficial symbol of the state senator's campaign. The symbol also has been embraced by conservative "tea party" activists.

"He's talking about states' rights," Shannon said. "What does it mean to be states' rights? You have to understand what our history is in order to make sure we don't make the same mistakes again. States' rights has a very dark meaning in a lot of what we've done with regard to our unwillingness to integrate our schools, with regard to the issue of slavery."

Cuccinelli fired back, accusing Shannon of "race baiting" and calling the Democrat's remarks "a very unfortunate form of campaigning."

"That is truly desperate and it is over the line and it isn't substantive," Cuccinelli said after the debate. "He wasn't talking about the issues that bring the question of federal-state relations up today, like right to work. He was literally just trying to throw a grenade in that frankly is terribly inappropriate and not very constructive to the debate."

Cuccinelli, who also lives in Fairfax County, said he has never promoted himself as a "states' rights" candidate, but has talked about "federal overreach" and legislation that he believes could affect Virginia's "right-to-work" law prohibiting compulsory union membership.

"I've talked about the 10th Amendment," Cuccinelli said. "I've talked about state sovereignty. I have worn a 'Don't Tread on Me' pin on occasion."

Shannon stood by his comments after the debate, saying, "I don't know of any other person who runs for attorney general talking about being a states' rights attorney general. And that's what I call dog whistle politics. It's very dangerous when people who have a history of being an ideological or cultural crusader talk about being a states' rights candidate."

Shannon spokesman Brian Coy later issued a statement saying, "At no point did Steve ascribe any motive to Ken's invocation of states' rights or sovereignty."

For much of the debate, Shannon emphasized his experience as a prosecutor and the steps he would take to crack down on child pornography and gang crimes. Cuccinelli said he would push for further changes in mental health laws and greater efforts to combat computer crimes and gangs, and continually review state regulations and their impact on businesses.

Shannon cast himself as a centrist who would run an "apolitical" office and suggested that Cuccinelli is too combative.

"He is not a bipartisan legislator," Shannon said. "In fact, he fights with members of his own party and he's proud that he fights with members of his own party."

Cuccinelli said Shannon has been a "back-bencher" in the House while he has thrown himself into battles in the Senate.

"The same people that I will engage in fights with on one bill I'm professional enough to turn around and work with on a bill where we agree," Cuccinelli said. "When anybody is defending the right position, I'll help them do it, Republican or Democrat."