DNC to pump $5 million into Virginia governor's race
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/04/28/art.kaine.gi.jpg caption="Kaine serves as both Virginia governor and DNC chairman."]WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Democratic National Committee said Wednesday it will pump $5 million into the commonwealth of Virginia over the next two months to help put Creigh Deeds in the governor's mansion.
The money will be doled out to Deeds' campaign and to the Democratic Party of Virginia's coordinated campaign. The $5 million infusion matches the sum given by the DNC in 2005 to then-candidate Tim Kaine, who won the race. Kaine himself is now chairing the DNC, and losing this year's marquee race in his own backyard could prove embarrassing.
"Chairman Kaine knows a thing or two about winning elections in Virginia - and he knows more than a thing or two about Creigh Deeds and how well prepared he is to be a solid, practical, mainstream Governor of Virginia," DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse said in an e-mail.
The cash influx will help Deeds purchase television ads in the expensive Washington media market - especially as his campaign tries to highlight Republican Bob McDonnell's controversial master's thesis, in which he called working women "detrimental" to families. Woodhouse called the revelations about McDonnell's thesis "a real turning point in this election."
McDonnell, leading in the polls, said his views on several social issues have changed in the two decades since he wrote the thesis at age 34 - but that hasn't stopped the Deeds campaign from assailing the Republican as too conservative for moderate and independent voters.
The Democratic Governors Association has also spent heavily on the race, having chipped in $3.5 million so far, much of it on an ad campaign earlier this year that attacked McDonnell.
Shortly after the DNC announcement, the Republican Party of Virginia immediately accused Kaine of being more concerned with politics than governing.
"There has never been any doubt that the Partisan-in-Chief Tim Kaine would try to ride to the rescue for Creigh Deeds," said party spokesman Tim Murtaugh. "He can't leave an actual legacy as governor, so he may as well try to buy one. We expected nothing else."
Updated at 6:15 p.m. ET:
McDonnell spokeswoman Crystal Cameron responded, saying that "no amount of money can make up for Creigh Deeds’ lack of vision when it comes to moving Virginia forward."
"Maybe Creigh can use that money to buy some policy proposals that will actually improve the lives of people across the Commonwealth," she said.
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take 'em out, hopefully the GOP will go down in flames
i guess we can ignore obama sitting in a church run by a racist, demagogue for 20 years, but not this guy. mcdonnell has publically admitted he has change, but has obama?
How about sending Barack in to campaign for the democratic candidate?
WELL, you can make it $5 MILLION and $25 because I donated $25... YES WE CAN keep this state BLUE!!!
you know if our government officials spent this type of money on something useful for a state their visiting, or even on out national debt, instead of on an election campaign, maybe our country would be in better condition. To bad they throw it away on media time to just bash each other.
DEMS are just so flawed. So typical of a party out of control. Throwing, hate, lies, and bs all around. Here in Illinois, there were "trainers" out to help the moron leftists cheer the right way for marxist health care that Obama wants. The independents are waking up, and will say bye bye to Obama and his army of racist, unwilling and lazy voters.
what a waste of money,, why dont they try to feed and clothe the homeless.... sad ... what a waste of money.
Wonder how Virginians feel about New Yorkers and Californians telling them how to vote?
Well if Virginia elects McDonnell, it will surely insure that the ideas of the old Southern Confederacy will be honored.
Social conservatives in Virginia should feel totally betrayed by this two-faced politician McDonnell.
He's just another hypocritical Conservative.
The only difference is that all the other hypocritical Conservatives say one thing to get votes, then do another.
McDonnell, on the other hand, says one thing (namely, his most sincere and deep beliefs), then denies saying it for political expediency.
Shameless.
DNC pouring money down a rat hole!
I went to three (3) of President Obama's rallies when he came to the BLUE VA – Once when he came to promote Gov. Tim Kaine (and YES, I knew then he was going places.... YES HE DID!); and TWICE when he was campaigning.....
HOPEFULLY, he will come here to endorse Creigh Deeds and I will be there.... YES I CAN and YES I WILL!!!
This guy would fit right in at the Bush Air Force Academy, or the John Ashcroft justice department of draperies; while behind closed doors (or stalls) they take that proud wide-stance and hook up with anyone, in any country, then condemn the left for immorality.
Deeds is dead. He won't be able to come back in the polls.
corruption money !!!!Hey Virginia, how is your coal industry ? FOOLS
My donation is there!
I hope they send Obama in to campaign because this is a midle right state. I hope McDonell ties Deeds to Obama's ultra liberal way of thinking.
What's the matter, can't he win by himself?
The republicans had major conflicts of interest in Florida (Harris) in 2000 and Ohio (Blackwell) in 2004. Both were state campaign chairs for Bush while acting as the ones over-seeing elections. Now that was a cozy situation. If you really want to know the full extent of the fraud back then see Greg Palast's books: "The Best Democracy money Can Buy" AND "Armed Madhouse". The DNC is nowhere as close to this election as those two operatives were in recent memory. Of course, it was necessary for Baby Bush to be in the House for the encactment of the Masters' Plan, "The Shock Dontrine.." for the downfall of America. Don't believe me, READ THE BOOKS!
5 MILLION????
and we complain about bonuses to Wall Streeter's
Here we go again, Dem's wanting too buy the american vote, why can't they just campaign on honesty, and the love for america, because they don't have it, instead pay money too cover up what they really stand for, love of themselves, and how elitest they can become.