SLIDESHOW:
State GOP Convention
Virginia Republicans completed their 2009 ticket in Richmond this afternoon, teaming gubernatorial nominee Bob McDonnell with Bill Bolling for lieutenant governor and Ken Cuccinelli for attorney general.
Bolling, the current lieutenant governor and a Hanover County insurance executive, faced nominal opposition from Patrick Muldoon, a lawyer and farmer from Southwest Virginia who said Bolling isn't sufficiently conservative.
Cuccinelli, a state senator from Fairfax County, turned back two others for the third spot on the ticket. In the only real contest of the day, Cuccinelli defeated former federal prosecutor John Brownlee of Roanoke and Arlington County lawyer Dave Foster.
Republicans met at the Richmond Coliseum at a convention that drew more than 7,000 delegates. The GOP fields its ticket about a week ahead of Democrats, who decide nominations for governor and lieutenant governor in a June 9 primary.
Republicans also settled the party chairmanship, choosing to retain Pat Mullins of Louisa County. Mullins, installed about a month ago after a coup brought down Del. Jeffery M. Frederick of Prince William County, defeated a Frederick ally, Bill Stanley of Rocky Mount.
Republicans head into the fall election hoping to end a losing streak that reaches back to 2001. Since then, they've twice been defeated for governor, surrendered two U.S. Senate seats and seen Democrats take back the Virginia Senate.
Leading Republicans is former attorney general McDonnell, an ex-delegate from Virginia Beach who now lives in Henrico County. In accepting the nomination, McDonnell sounded conservative themes, including opposition to abortion and an endorsement of gun rights.
But McDonnell also continued his emphasis on the economy, pledging to create jobs by, among other things, reducing government regulation, promoting offshore exploration of oil and gas, making college more affordable and resisting unionization.
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