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Kicking Off My Campaign for Governor of Virginia

Submitted by Bob McDonnell on Sun, 03/29/2009 - 22:01
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We're proud to welcome Bob McDonnell, Republican candidate for Virginia Governor, to The Next Right.

To start off, I'd like to thank The Next Right for this opportunity to talk directly to this great community of online activists. This weekend, I formally kicked off my campaign for Governor of Virginia. If you're not from our state, I hope you'll play close attention to our campaign. I believe it can be a model for the Republican and conservative comeback all across the country.

In the last few elections, Republicans have learned the hard way that when we don't apply our conservative principles to solve real, everyday problems that people face in tough times, we lose.

My campaign is built around solutions to lead a recovery in Virginia built around private-sector jobs and entrepreneurship. That's a fundamentally different approach than the kind we're seeing out of Washington, D.C. these days.

Here in Virginia, we have nearly 1,000 people whose are focused on getting your tax money, and only one to ensure taxpayers aren't overcharged. That's a ratio that will change when I am Governor. We must also make Virginia the best state in the country to start a small business and create jobs -- with a goal of cutting the red tape so that every Virginian can start a business in 48 hours.

Virginia can also help lead America towards real energy independence. We have the opportunity to become the first state on the eastern seaboard to allow for offshore exploration and drilling, an opportunity I intend to fully pursue when I am Governor to create real private-sector jobs and keep prices down at the pump.

When folks in Washington try to force programs on Virginia that are bad for our economy and our quality of life we must be firm and principled in opposition. One of the things Virginia has done right is in upholding a pro-free enterprise Right to Work law. But Right to Work is under assault in Congress with the job-killing Card Check legislation pushed by big national union bosses. As Governor, I won't be afraid to take a stand against irresponsible policies at the national level that make it harder to create jobs in Virginia. I'm the only candidate in this race who has come out strongly and squarely against Card Check.

Two days into this five-day kickoff, I can tell you that Virginia Republicans are fired up and ready to win the governorship after eight years of Democrat control. The crowds have been large and enthusiastic. People are ready for a new brand of leadership that speaks to the concerns of citizens in every corner of Virginia.

No matter where you are, I hope you'll follow our campaign at BobMcDonnell.com or by texting "VA" to GOBOB (46262). In our online campaign, we hope to set a new standard for transparency and supporting real grassroots activism that can be a model for campaigns across the nation.

The eyes on the nation will be on Virginia this year, and this race will be a key test for our Republican comeback. To succeed, we need your help and support. Please spread the word wherever you go online, and remind all your friends in Virginia that they can get involved locally. I look forward to continuing this conversation with you in the weeks and months to come.

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Comments

I'll ask you the same questions I asked Tim James

Submitted by Stephen Gordon on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 00:17.

First of all, good luck with your race.

Now here is my narrative of the questions:

When I had the opportunity, I asked [Alabama gubernatorial candidate Tim] James if I could ask him a quick question.  "Sure," he replied.  The question I lobbed at him was whether or not he would absolutely commit to not increasing taxes if elected governor. 

"No problem," he responded.  "Got a tougher one?"

I pitched the second question a bit harder, but his response came as quickly as the first one.  I asked if he'd commit to not increasing state spending.  "That's easy," he said. "You got a tough one for me, now?"

"Okay," I responded, and threw him a bit of a curveball.  "Would you mind signing a pledge to this effect?"

"I'd love to...," he stated.  Later on, we set up a telephone call to deal with speaking arrangements for an upcoming event and the pledge issue.

 

Issues

Submitted by cr on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 08:02.

I went to the issues page. It's pretty stock republican rhetoric with little details. Outside of being a republican, will there be more articulation on positions. It's a little early and politicians tend to be vague at the beginning, but it would be nice to get get a item list. Skip the obvious, no-taxes, small government, tough-on-criminals, keep-american-safe, pro-life stuff.

One thing I did see of interest is the 'drill-baby-drill' stuff. Do you have any ideas for energy independence other than that?

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Anyway we can get a questions submitted to the candidate? The Next Right can pick the best ones, say 10, then repost the candidates answers? Otherwise there seems no quid pro quo for putting a campaign advert here.

Transportation, Education and Business

Submitted by The Edge on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 08:14.

First of all, I am happy you are running. And as a Virginian in Northern VA, I look forward to supporting your campaign with my time and money.

 A few quick thoughts

1) I love your 48 hour business pledge. This past week I was trying to start a new business of mine in the Commonwealth, and was registering for a Class A liscence. Due to a paperwork mistake on my part, the application was sent back to me. Instead of being able to either a) call and fix the error b) go online and fix the error or c) fix the error on the application and fax it in, I must re-print a new application, re-fill it out and mail it back in. I look forward to hearing more about this initiative from you

2) As a Northern VA resident, and as I am sure you realized while up here, transportation is still the number 1 issue in the region. The expansion of 495 with hotlanes and 95 with hotlanes is a good first step. What will be your position on mass transportation in the region, including issues such as the expansion of Metro towards Dulles, having the Silver line go underground in Tysons and a badly needed expansion of 66 both inside and outside the beltway

3) I was lucky enough to graduate from Virgina Tech in 2004 and at the time that I went to Virginia Tech it was very affordable with top of the line staff. Higher education in the state in recent years has taken a beating in funding, causing both Virginia Tech and UVA to seek being more autonomous. How will you address the shortfall in funding for our higher education institutes in the commonwealth, which have, until recent years, been deemed amongst the best values in nation for both cost and quality of education. Being able to afford higher education in the commonwealth is still key to having the educated high skilled workforce which brings high paying jobs to the commonwealth, as we all saw in the 1990s when then Governor George Allen was able to establish the "Silicon Dominion" along the Dulles Corridor. 

 

I look forward to working with you, for you, and look forward to your responses on these 3 key issues. If you are able to present a credible conservative solution to these issues, breaking the 8 year status quo in Richmond will be a cake walk. You will be our next governor

 

Good luck!

Throw a Tea Party

Submitted by davidfarrar on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 08:35.

I wish you the best of luck in your gubernatorial campaign, Mr. McDonnell.

And to start your grassroot campaign off right, why don't you throw a real dozy of a Tea Party in Richmond?

ex animo

davidfarrar

Not a Virginian and not a conservative...

Submitted by LnGrrrR on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 12:45.

But I'll throw in my two cents, I guess.

First off, good luck. The current governor is Tim Kaine, correct? He's relatively popular, IIRC.

Second, I agree with the Right-to-Work state. I disagree with the offshore drilling, but I can understand why you'd want to push that issue, as it will bring jobs to your state.

I'd like to know why you think the card check issue would kill jobs.

How do you feel about the bailouts, both the auto and banking? What would you have done differently?

Thanks for taking the time to dip your toes into the often shark-infested net. It's rare for a politician to talk face-to-face (as it were) with some of his constituents, and to be lauded.

A press release is not a blog.

Submitted by RisingTide on Tue, 03/31/2009 - 10:45.

you are not here to give a speech, but to provide a topic, and interact with hoi polloi

The state is known as the

Submitted by Aniya (not verified) on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:50.

The state is known as the "Old Dominion" and sometimes as "Mother of Presidents", because it is the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents.

FFXI Gil

 

The word "activism" is often

Submitted by Aniya (not verified) on Thu, 08/06/2009 - 09:11.

The word "activism" is often used synonymously with protest or dissent, but activism can stem from any number of political orientations and take a wide range of forms, from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism (such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing preferred businesses), rallies, blogging and street marches, strikes, both work stoppages and hunger strikes, or even guerrilla tactics.

dofus kamas