Brian Moran makes his case

I am running for governor because in these difficult times, Virginians need a fighter in the governor's office who has the record and the compassion to put Virginia's families first. Today, Virginia's families are hurting: 300,000 have lost their jobs, thousands have lost their homes to foreclosure, and hundreds of thousands more worry they will be laid off or unable to make their mortgage payment. I have seen their faces and heard their stories. These are the Virginians I will wake up to fight for every single day.

I grew up in a family of seven kids; my parents struggled to pay the mortgage. Times were tough. When my father got laid off, my family watched our station wagon get towed from our driveway. I remember my mom serving us powdered milk to save money. When I hear the stories of Virginians struggling, that awful taste of powdered milk comes back. I started working at age 14 and worked my way through college and law school -- as a bartender, construction worker, midnight gas station attendant. Even though we didn't have much growing up, our parents taught us the values of hard work and perseverance. Virginians share these values and, as governor, I will fight for them.

I am the only candidate running for governor who has both a 20-year record of fighting for Virginia's families and a bold progressive vision for Virginia's future. As a prosecutor, and legislative leader, I spent two decades fighting for Virginia's families. I have fought to raise teacher's salaries to the national average, expand health care, increase college affordability, and raise the minimum wage. I was the legislative point man for Govs. Warner and Kaine, and together we won the battle to make the largest investment in public education in Virginia's history and expanded pre-kindergarten for at-risk four-year-olds.

In this campaign I have put forward bold solutions to create jobs, strengthen Virginia's families, and keep Virginia moving forward. We need to rebuild our economy from the bottom up, not the top down. So I have proposed an Economic Stimulus and Recovery Plan that invests in small businesses and entrepreneurs with a small business job creation tax credit and other smart policies. I will fight to keep the doors open on main street not Wall Street and will help put money back in the pockets of hard-working Virginians. My Innovation Agenda will strengthen our economy and create jobs in the life sciences, green-energy technology, and research and development to ensure that Virginia is a leader in the global economy.

I have proposed a Green Virginia Plan that connects the dots between energy, our economy, and our environment by investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency. This plan will create thousands of green jobs by manufacturing wind turbines and solar panels, retrofitting buildings, and weatherizing homes. I am the only candidate to oppose offshore drilling and a new coal mega-plant in Surry County because we cannot solve 21st-century challenges with 19th-century solutions.

My Healthy Virginia Plan will improve the health of Virginia's families by focusing on prevention. I am the only candidate for governor with a plan to insure every single Virginia child -- all 200,000 who don't have insurance. We'll do smart things like investing in healthier school lunches and more exercise in our schools to keep kids healthy. Richmond's infant mortality rate is actually higher than Ukraine's. We must do better for Richmond's families and, as governor, I will expand health care for pregnant women and prenatal care to lower infant mortality.

I am proud to have earned the endorsement of Richmond's mayor, Dwight Jones, and as governor, I will work closely with him to address these and other issues. I also will work to ensure that our seniors enjoy their lives in dignity and security and in the comfort of their own homes. In addition, I will protect seniors by strengthening Virginia's long-term care watchdog and creating an assisted-living facility rating system.

I have two young children in Virginia's public schools, and I promise you that no one will be more committed to public education. My Smart Virginia Plan will expand pre-kindergarten, increase graduation rates, and raise teachers' salaries to the national average. There is nothing more important to a child's education than a good teacher. Here in Richmond, more than 34 percent of students do not graduate on time. My Smart Virginia Plan will help Richmond's public schools and schools across Virginia by lowering K-3 class sizes and by providing extra support for teachers and tutoring for students.

These are just a few of my plans for Virginia's future. Please visit my Web site, http://www.brianmoran.com, to find out more about my campaign. I am running for governor because in these tough times, we need a governor who cares more about that family dinner table than the corporate boardroom. With a record of fighting for Virginia's families and a bold progressive vision for Virginia's future, I humbly ask for your vote on June 9th.