GOP’s McDonnell to start TV ads in Northern Virginia

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell has extended a television advertising campaign to vote-rich Northern Virginia.

The campaign is offering two commercials, both biographical. One emphasizes McDonnell's experience, and the other shows him interacting with his wife and five children.

McDonnell began advertising in other areas of the state, including Richmond, last week.

In a brief address yesterday at a fundraising breakfast for the Virginia Public Access Project, a campaign-finance watchdog Web site, McDonnell alluded jokingly to a campaign-finance controversy involving the Democratic Governors Association, which has spent about $2 million on television and Internet ads attacking him.

The organization briefly ran afoul of the State Board of Elections for allegedly not disclosing the names of some of its contributors. The board threatened to fine the DGA but withdrew the threat after the DGA disclosed the information.

"The DGA knows as much about Virginia's campaign-finance laws as Terry McAuliffe knows about Virginia," McDonnell said.

McAuliffe, who lives in McLean, is one of three Democrats seeking the nomination to run against McDonnell. He's a former national Democratic Party chairman.

McDonnell also joked about one of the other Democratic gubernatorial contenders, state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds of Bath County.

"When I'm elected governor, I won't hire Creigh Deeds to be my driver," he said. Deeds recently was involved in a minor traffic accident.

McDonnell said the government needs more transparency. He also called for more civility in politics.

David Allen, campaign-finance manager for the State Board of Elections, said a warning letter about a possible campaign-finance law violation has been sent to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

The large public employees union has put more than $250,000 into the McAuliffe campaign. Allen said the union appears to be late in filing the names of some of its contributors.

Chris Policano, AFSCME director of public affairs, said yesterday: "We have been in contact with the [elections board] today and we are confident that we are in compliance."

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