Mark Warner - U.S. Senate

Mark Warner in Centerfest

Governor Warner was down in Bedford this weekend, and stopped by Centerfest, a street festival in Downtown Bedford where local artists and craftsmen come from around the state to show and sell their work.

WSLS ran this story on the news:

Former Virginia Governor, Mark Warner, made his way through the crowd at Bedford Center Fest shaking hands, kissing babies, and taking pictures.

“Great chance to get out and meet people in the community. Ask them to support me in my race for Senate,” Warner said.

He called Bedford a growth community. As he walked down Main Street in the rain he keeps places like this in mind when it comes to today’s struggling economy.

“This challenge is less about Wall Street and more about what happens if the credit markets freeze which would have enormous ramifications here on Main Street,” he said.

So he’s on the move and counting down the days until the election.

“We’re down to 38 days. I’m very proud of the response we’re getting, the bipartisan response, I’m proud of so many republicans and independents supporting my campaign as well as democrats.”

People like Nelson Leftwich walked up to Warner saying he’s more of a republican, yet Warner has his vote.

“I liked it when he was Governor. I liked his action plans and everything the way he got things done, the way he brought Virginia out of the situation that the previous governor got us into,” Leftwich said.

"A show about nothing"

Jason Alexander, who played George Constanza on the hit show “Seinfeld,” sent out an email today telling our supporters why he supports Mark Warner for the U.S. Senate.

Here’s what he said:

Riki— If you thought Seinfeld was a show about nothing, you should check out Congress. I can’t remember such a lack of productivity since the summer of George.

In all seriousness, the gridlock in Washington is extremely worrisome. This crowd has already set an all-time record for filibusters in a single Congress, and they’re still in session! No matter how many good ideas are out there, if we can’t move beyond the same partisan politics, not much is going to happen.

That’s why I’m throwing my full support behind Mark Warner. He hasn’t just talked a good game. As governor, he actually walked the walk by working across the aisle to deliver results and turn Virginia’s struggling economy around.

I’m asking you to help elect Mark Warner and send his kind of leadership to Washington. With just a few days to go until the next big filing deadline, it’s more important than ever that we show our support for his campaign. By making a contribution, you can demonstrate a strong commitment to pointing our country in a new direction.

Please Donate $5 Before Midnight on September 30th.

The 2008 elections are some of the most important we’ll ever live through. There is just too much at stake to take anything for granted.

And with the upcoming FEC deadline, this is also one of the most important moments for us to demonstrate the strength of Mark Warner’s candidacy. So please, make a contribution.

Please Donate $5 Before Midnight on September 30th.

. . . and then enjoy serenity now.

Thanks,

Jason Alexander

Highlights from the Second Debate

Yesterday’s debate further proved that Governor Warner is the most qualified and most capable candidate to be Virginia’s next U.S. Senator. Here’s what Washington Post’s Marc Fischer had to say:

“I'd give the edge to Warner, who was more detailed and forthcoming on the economic crisis and who seemed generally more confident and senatorial. Gilmore has an air of desperation about him these days, and he was way too defensive and brittle about his own record as governor.”

On the issues, Governor Warner proved that he has a grasp of the real, common sense solutions challenges that face our nation. At yesterday’s debate, per the Washington Post:

Warner argued that he has the experience to end years of partisan gridlock on Capitol Hill and that Virginia voters are ready to embrace his philosophy of seeking common ground on issues such as energy, the right to join a union, and taxes and spending. "At the end of the day, Virginians do have a choice," Warner told a crowd of 400 Northern Virginia business and political leaders. "A senator who's produced results, or one who's about more partisanship."

Before the crowd in Northern Virginia, Governor Warner also got a chance to address the ongoing problem of transportation, highlighting his record in helping to solve the problem.

Citing a letter from U.S. transportation officials, Warner said the federal government threatened to withhold money for the Springfield Mixing Bowl project because of mismanagement and a politicized transportation department when Gilmore was governor. "There was no part of Virginia that was more broken when I become governor than Virginia's transportation efforts," Warner said.

The Governor also showed that his business background and strong fiscal record as governor make him uniquely qualified to handle the current financial meltdown:

Warner said, "Being an entrepreneur and having a 20 year background in business, really is one of the differences between us. I can read a balance sheet." "This is a result of too many people asleep at the switch -- in Washington, on Wall Street -- where everybody was looking at next quarter profits and nobody had a long-term financial plan," said Warner, who earned a fortune in the cellular telephone boom and as a venture capitalist before his 2001 election as governor. Warner suggested that a single federal regulator overseeing all of the markets could provide better oversight than the "mishmash" of agencies that oversee financial institutions, and argued that "a lot these excesses have really taken place the last six to eight years."

On energy, Governor Warner said (per the Roanoke Times):

Warner said he favors a comprehensive energy policy that includes offshore drilling but also emphasizes alternative sources and new technologies. Warner said the energy crisis demands "a national call to arms" that also could reap economic benefits. "I think there will be more jobs and more wealth created in the energy sector over the next 25 years -- even more than cellphones," Warner said. "And that's hard for me to say."

The Second Debate

Governor Warner participated in the second debate against Jim Gilmore this morning, in front of a group of business leaders from the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce.

While Jim Gilmore used the same old partisan rhetoric and factual distortions, Governor Warner showed that he understands the current challenges – from the financial meltdown to the energy crisis – and has a real plan with real solutions to fix them.

Click here to read fact check from the debate. Here are some of the highlights from the debate:

Turmoil on Wall Street

Governor Warner has been keeping an eye on this week’s turmoil on Wall Street and the upheaval among once-leading companies in the financial industry. He brings a unique perspective to the issue: as a successful business executive, Governor Warner can actually read a balance sheet.

In an interview with the Daily Progress of Charlottesville, he said:

“There’s ways we can jump-start some of this activity without direct taxpayer bailouts,” Warner said. “But it’s going to take a little bit more creativity than we’ve seen.”

Warner declined to commit to supporting a second economic stimulus package to boost the nation’s lagging economy. In the coming weeks, he said, the fallout from the financial industry’s shakeup will be more apparent. If things go from bad to worse, such a package might be needed, he said.

“Give me two weeks to see what happens with the market meltdown,” he said. “I think we’re in dicey times.” However, he added, the next economic stimulus proposal ought to focus less on consumer spending and more on investing in the nation’s roads, railways and broadband in rural areas.

“Start digging us out of this hole,” he said. “I think we’re about 20 odd years behind in terms of our infrastructure needs.”

To read the whole article, click below.

Sheriffs across Virginia support Warner

Governor Warner received more endorsements from the law enforcement community today, this time from a bipartisan group of sheriffs from across Virginia who support his record of leadership when it comes to protecting the needs of the law enforcement community.

Standing before a group of about 35 sheriffs – Democrats, Republicans and Independents – at a press conference during the Virginia Sheriff’s Association conference in Roanoke today, Governor Warner said:

It’s been an interesting journey in this campaign, but I can’t think of a day that I’m prouder than today to have a number of sheriffs from across the state, of different party affiliations… publicly supporting my candidacy. ... Public safety is one of the core services of government. Lots of politicians talk about supporting public safety, but the way you’re judged is not by your words but by your actions. These men and women put their lives on the line each and every day on behalf of Virginians. To have their public support today is a banner day for me and for the campaign.

Floyd County Sheriff Shannon Zeman said that as a “proud Republican, I’m honored to stand with Mark Warner.” More:

I feel like this election is not about party affiliations; it’s about picking the right man for the job. Mark Warner has already demonstrated to us – through his words, through his deeds and his hard work – that he is the right person for the job. I feel like that’s what Virginians need to represent us in the U.S. Senate; also, it’s the leadership we need in Washington desperately in the time that we live in today.

Although the Virginia Sheriff’s Association does not endorse political candidates, many sheriffs and deputies joined Governor Warner at the news conference to demonstrate their support for his candidacy and his leadership.

Here is video of the press conference:

Governor Warner’s bipartisan budget and tax reform in 2004 made it possible for Virginia to meet its commitments to local law enforcement authorities and help communities fund salaries for local police departments and sheriff’s deputies. He also appointed the nation’s first Cabinet-level state homeland security official; initiated a statewide AMBER Alert System to notify Virginians about child abductions; supported tougher anti-drunk driving laws; enacted tougher measures to make it more difficult for common drugs to be bought over-the-counter and used to create methamphetamines, helping to reduce the number of meth labs in Virginia; and invested in improved digital communication technologies for law enforcement.

Breakfast in Charlottesville

Governor Warner was in Charlottesville this morning, where he met local Democrats for breakfast at C’ville Coffee. Over coffee and pastries, Governor Warner rallied the Democrats and got them ready for the last 50 days of this campaign. CBS19 was on hand and featured this story during the news at noon:

New ad: "Preposterous"

We launched a new ad last night, in response to the inaccurate and misleading attacks in a campaign ad authorized by Jim Gilmore and funded by the Republican Party of Virginia.

The ad includes a strong reaction to the Gilmore ad and validation of Governor Warner’s record as Governor by retired Sen. John H. Chichester and retired Del. Vincent Callahan, the Republican chairmen of the General Assembly budget committees during both the Gilmore and Warner administrations.

Delegate Callahan said:

To attack Governor Warner’s record on fiscal management in such a simplistic and negative way is just ridiculous. After Governor Warner took office in 2002, he spent more than two years working with the Legislature in an honest and businesslike way to cut spending and address the fiscal mess he inherited from his predecessor.

Senator Chichester said:

It’s preposterous that this negative campaign ad simply glosses-over the bipartisan approach Governor Warner took with the Legislature to solve Virginia’s very serious fiscal problems. Our bipartisan 2004 budget and tax reforms helped restore integrity to our budget process and helped us save Virginia’s sterling Triple-A credit rating.

Endorsement: Fraternal Order of Police

The Fraternal Order of Police of Virginia endorsed Governor Warner in his bid for the U.S. Senate, citing his “consistent efforts to support law enforcement and protect public safety during challenging fiscal times” and “his proven record in implementing solutions that improved public safety and homeland security.”

Endorsement: U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced today their endorsement of Governor Warner’s campaign for the U.S. Senate, calling him a “champion of the people of Virginia and an invaluable leader on important business issues.”

The Chamber’s senior vice president and political director, Bill Miller, said in a release:

The Chamber believes that as Senator, Warner will continue to be an effective legislator and supporter of businesses of every size if elected.

Governor Warner said:

I spent 20 years in business before entering politics, and I know it?s the private sector that creates the jobs that keep our economy strong. I am grateful for the Chamber?s endorsement of my bipartisan approach and our focus on results and accountability, and I appreciate the business community?s support as I attempt to take that same approach to Washington.

To read the release, click here.

Lunch in New Kent

On Friday, Governor Warner was in New Kent, for another lunch and Main Street walk. Our press secretary, Emily Kryder, was with the Governor and filed this report:

We started the day with a lunch at Sun’s Café in New Kent, where he got a chance to join a group of 25 locals who gather for lunch once a week. The group includes local elected officials and citizens and they like to talk about what’s going on in the community as well as the state and country.

After finishing lunch, the Governor went to go check out the new Sheriff’s office in New Kent. Sheriff F.W. Howard, Jr. introduced him with a pretty glowing recommendation, noting he had only made three public endorsements in his career and Governor Warner was one of them. He talked about how the Governor had always looked out for law enforcement, protecting their budgets even when facing a huge shortfall.

After the sheriff’s office we headed over to West Point, a beautiful little town right on the water. We arrived on a pretty exciting day already—a truck hit an electric pole earlier in the day and knocked out the power until an hour before we arrived. When we got there a little before 2 p.m., the power had just come back on along with the lights and air conditioning so folks were in a good mood. The Governor joked that he had put in a call to the mayor and told him to get on it which is why the power was restored right before he got there.

Traveling Through Surry

Governor Warner was back on the road at the end of this week, traveling to Surry.

On Thursday, Governor Warner attended a lunch at the Surrey Hour Restaurant in Surry, where he greeted the lunch-time crowd and met some old friends and local leaders. He was introduced by Delegate Bill Barlow, who pointed to a young man who had joined the lunch as an example of the type of story Governor Warner shared during his keynote address at the Democratic National Convention: the student is from small town Surry, where he got an excellent education in local public schools and got a chance to go to Harvard, where he is about to start his senior year. Now, he said, the next step is to make sure he can find a world class job right here in Surry.

After lunch, the Governor went on to Smithfield Packing Company for the shift change. It was broiling hot out there but the Governor insisted on shaking everyone?s had and asking them personally for their vote. A bunch of the workers recognized him, saying, “Oh I know you—you’re the governor. I keep seeing you on T.V.!”

From the Packing Company, the Governor went to downtown Smithfield for a walk along Main Street. As he walked down the strip, he stopped by several of the shops to say hi and see how business was going. One of the business owners was so determined to meet the Governor that she held off taking her dog out to go to the bathroom so she could say hello to the Governor. She was excited, but the puppy didn?t look too pleased.

He ended his walk at the Smith Field Inn, where he was greeted by a small crowd of about 30 folks all crammed onto the porch so they could shake his hand, get a picture, and hear why he was running for Senate.

One young woman asked how he would protect education funding for the arts and music when budgets were tight and time in scare supply because of the testing requirements of No Child Left Behind. The Gov. said that music and art were important to keep so students would be well rounded and engaged in school. He said NCLB clearly needed to be reformed so there would be room for these other aspects of education.

Labor Day

Governor Warner spent this Labor Day the same way he spends every Labor Day – running up and down the streets of Buena Vista and Covington in their annual parades.

Here is a video of the Buena Vista Parade:

Hurricane Gustav

As we see the coverage and hear the news of Hurricane Gustav landing along the Gulf Coast, I urge Virginians to take a moment and think about how we can help.

At times like these, we must all step up as Americans and help our fellow citizens as they face the challenge of recovering and rebuilding – again.

This morning in Buena Vista, we took up a collection to send down to the communities of the Gulf Coast to start rebuilding. We hope that communities all across Virginia and the nation do the same,to show the folks of the Gulf that we are standing with them.

You can also visit the website of the American Red Cross to see how you can help by either donating your money or your time.