Martinsville Bulletin, Inc.
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Martinsville, Virginia 24115
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Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder. |
Friday, September 25, 2009
By BULLETIN STAFF REPORTS -
RICHMOND — Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder declined Thursday to endorse fellow Democrat Creigh Deeds for governor, citing the candidate’s opposition to gun control and the likelihood that he would raise taxes.
It’s the second time in 12 years that the nation’s first elected black governor has withheld his support in a Virginia gubernatorial race, and his second repudiation of Deeds in a statewide election against Republican Bob McDonnell.
Four years ago, Wilder refused to back Deeds in the race for attorney general because of the state senator’s opposition to one of Wilder’s signature initiatives — a state law limiting handgun purchases to one per month. McDonnell edged Deeds by 360 votes out of more than 2 million votes cast, the closest statewide election in Virginia history.
In 1997, Wilder also withheld an endorsement in the governor’s race — a major setback for Democrat Don Beyer, who lost to Republican Jim Gilmore.
Although Wilder left statewide office 15 years ago, he remains the state’s most prominent black political figure and candidates still clamor for his support. Wilder’s endorsement would have been especially helpful for Deeds, a resident of rural Bath County. Some of Deeds’ weakest showings in his primary victory were in predominantly black precincts, and Black Entertainment Television co-founder and Democratic benefactor Sheila Johnson endorsed McDonnell in July.
The Fraternal Order of Police also endorsed McDonnell on Thursday, citing his record on public safety initiatives. Local FOP chapters, including Patrick Henry Lodge No. 73 in Martinsville, voted on the endorsements of McDonnell as well as Republicans Bill Bolling, seeking re-election as lieutenant governor, and Ken Cuccinelli for attorney general.
Deeds respects Wilder’s decision not to make an endorsement and will seek his counsel if elected, spokesman Jared Leopold said in a statement.
“While Creigh and he may not agree on every issue, they share a fundamental commitment to keeping Virginia the best managed state in the nation, as Gov. Wilder first made it in 1992,” said Leopold, who declined further comment.
In a statement posted on the Internet and distributed to reporters, Wilder said he was concerned that Deeds would seek to repeal the one-handgun-a-month law, which was intended to make the state less attractive to East Coast gunrunners.
“This action would allow the truck loads of guns to come back in exchange for drugs from those Northeastern states where gun laws are more stringent,” Wilder said. “... I do not see how endorsing a proposal to have more handguns brought into our cities and suburban areas qualifies as any type of urban renewal plan.”
Another major accomplishment during Wilder’s term from 1990 until 1994 was steering the state through a recession by cutting the budget rather than raising taxes. He said similar fiscal discipline will be needed as Virginia begins recovering from even tougher economic times.
“This is not the time in our commonwealth to talk about any kind of tax increase, especially those that are fundamentally regressive and will hit hardest those who are struggling,” Wilder said.
Deeds has signaled that he would be open to raising taxes for transportation, while McDonnell has suggested dealing with the issue largely through borrowing and fund transfers.
Wilder said the next governor also should replenish the state’s so-called “rainy-day” fund, which he established in 1990 and which subsequent administrations have dipped into to help balance the budget. Gov. Tim Kaine earlier this month recommended withdrawing about $280 million from the reserve fund, leaving a balance of about $300 million.
McDonnell spokesman J. Tucker Martin said the Republican and Wilder “share the same commitment to fiscal responsibility and keeping taxes low,” and that McDonnell looks forward to continuing to work closely with the former governor.
Deeds and Beyer are not the only Democrats with chapters in Wilder’s long history of endorsement intrigues. In 1994, after ending his independent candidacy for U.S. Senate, Wilder waited until 18 days before the election before endorsing Democratic incumbent Charles Robb. Robb beat Oliver North by 3 percentage points, largely because he got 95 percent of the black vote.
Four years after the Beyer snub, Wilder appeared to relish pressing Democrat Mark Warner for direct answers at a debate, causing speculation that he might sit out another gubernatorial election. But he endorsed Warner about a week later, and the Democrat defeated Mark Earley.
Wilder endorsed Kaine in the 2005 gubernatorial race even though the two had disagreed on Warner’s $1.4 billion tax increase the year before.
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