Democratic candidates show solidarity with Deeds

The Democratic candidates for governor talked unity yesterday, while Republicans went on the attack against new nominee R. Creigh Deeds.

Flanked by the current governor and wearing the campaign stickers of the man who routed them in yesterday's primary, Democrats Brian J. Moran and Terry McAuliffe pledged to unify behind Deeds and work to help him defeat Republican Bob McDonnell this November.

In a conference call with reporters, Pat Mullins of Louisa County, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, said: "People tell me [Deeds] is a nice guy -- but."

Mullins described Deeds as prounion, anti-business, for higher taxes and against tax reform.

The three Democrats gathered at the party's headquarters in Shockoe Bottom with Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, who also is chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

"I will personally do anything Creigh Deeds asks me to do to [help him] become the next governor of Virginia," pledged McAuliffe, the former Democratic National Committee chairman.

Moran, a former delegate from Alexandria, told Deeds: "I know you love Virginia -- you love Virginia to your bone. I look forward to working with you."

Of the six statewide nominees in the two major parties, Deeds is the only one born in Virginia. Born in Richmond, he grew up in Bath County, where he makes his home.

The cramped party headquarters overflowed with excitement and staffers from all three campaigns, many of whom donned blue-and-green "Deeds" stickers to show solidarity.

As the candidates gathered, party staffers began cutting out the winner's name in 5-foot-high blue Styrofoam letters -- a makeshift political prop for the television cameras.

Moran, McAuliffe, Deeds and Kaine said the competitive and often contentious primary battle -- the first contested Democratic gubernatorial primary since 1977 -- was a sign of a strengthened party and will make Deeds a better candidate in the general election.

Moran said the primary made Deeds "an invincible candidate." Moran also said he would not leave the public arena, where he has served as a prosecutor and legislator for a combined 20 years.

Moran even offered a handshake to McAuliffe -- the Northern Virginia rival who jumped into the governor's race last fall. The two fought bitterly during the primary, but Moran thanked McAuliffe for the energy he brought to the race.

"Never mind the windmills -- we just need to plug Terry into the grid," joked Moran, referring to a McAuliffe campaign proposal on energy.

Deeds dwelled less on the past and used his time to begin drawing the lines of battle with McDonnell -- to whom he lost the 2005 race for attorney general by 360 votes.

He said McDonnell would advance a social and economic agenda that would take Virginia backward. He cited differences between himself and the Republican on abortion and accepting economic stimulus money to expand eligibility for unemployment benefits.

After the morning news conference, Deeds fielded a congratulatory phone call from President Barack Obama. Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. had called the night before.

Kaine, who ran for governor while Republicans were in control in Washington, noted that Deeds will have support from all quarters, including the White House.

"He's going to have a president and vice president campaigning for him, not against him," Kaine said.

Rep. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, told ABC News that Deeds will be the toughest of the three potential opponents for McDonnell this fall, because he will be better at blurring the differences.

Ed Gillespie, manager of McDonnell's campaign and a former political adviser to President George W. Bush, said the dynamics of the primary helped Deeds because he could lie low while Moran and McAuliffe attacked each other.

"In a general election, [that] is not going to work," he said.

Contact Jim Nolan at (804) 649-6061 or .

Contact Tyler Whitley at (804) 649-6780 or .