Former President Bill Clinton told Virginians yesterday that difficult economic times call for a governor who can help manage the state’s budget, preserve jobs and maintain important services. Clinton spoke at two campaign stops in the Washington suburbs for his longtime political friend Terry McAuliffe, who is seeking to win the Democratic gubernatorial primary on June 9.

Former President Bill Clinton is preparing to campaign today in Northern Virginia for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe.

Pitching for the youth vote with will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas fame, Democrat Terry McAuliffe is unloading some boom, boom, pow on his would-be Republican opponent for governor. While campaigning yesterday with the hip-hop star whose group’s latest tune, “Boom, Boom, Pow,“ is No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, McAuliffe attacked former Attorney General Bob McDonnell for defending House of Delegates Republicans’ vote to block $125 million in federal funds for expanded jobless benefits.

Out-of-state groups have pushed another $1.6 million into the Virginia gubernatorial race, which should help keep dueling TV ads on the air around the state. The latest cash infusion came in during the past week from the Democratic Governors Association and the Republican Governors Association, signifying the high stakes in the election.

NORFOLK Creigh Deeds wedges himself into the rear seat of his used navy Ford Explorer, pushing aside boxes of campaign literature and leaning against the passenger-side window to avoid the hanging suits and shirts in his traveling wardrobe. Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” is on the radio, and a large yellow bag of Halls menthol cough drops rests between the two front seats of the over-stuffed sport utility vehicle. But Deeds, 51—the Democratic state senator from rural Bath County and one of four men who want to be Virginia’s next governor—can’t afford to rest.

Across the commonwealth, folks are worried about jobs, about our energy future, about the quality of their children’s education, and the value of their homes. We’ve been lucky here in Virginia—we’ve had two great governors in Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, and they have worked hard to put Virginia in a place to weather the economic downturn much better than other states. But our next governor is still going to have some serious economic challenges to address, and that’s why I’m running for governor: I believe I have the right experience and the best vision to get our economy moving again.

Today’s Commentary section features guest columns from the three contenders for the Democratic nomination for governor. A primary on June 9 will determine the winner. Either Brian Moran, Terry McAuliffe, or Creigh Deeds will face off against Republican Bob McDonnell in the general election. This year marks the Democrats’ first serious intramural competition among gubernatorial contenders since 1985—and that poses dilemmas.

Terry McAuliffe is raising the stakes in his Democratic bid for governor, pledging to drive Republicans from their last stronghold of power in the House of Delegates. “I’ve got to have a House of Delegates that agrees with me on these big issues,“ McAuliffe said at town-hall-type meeting last night in Richmond’s Ginter Park with about 70 supporters.

The Chesterfield County voter registrar won’t have to worry about running out of ballots this year. Monday is the deadline for people who want to vote in the June 9 Democratic primary who are not registered now, and registrar Lawrence C. Haake III said few people have come by his office at the county courthouse to register. In the February 2008 Democratic presidential primary that featured Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, so many people turned out to vote that some Chesterfield precincts ran out of ballots.

Terry McAuliffe’s cash and advertising advantage is translating to a double-digit lead in the increasingly bitter race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, a new poll shows. Among likely voters in the June 9 primary, McAuliffe, who has raised more than $4 million and has been running television advertising for months, is favored by 30 percent, according to survey released yesterday by Public Policy Polling of Raleigh, N.C.

The campaign of Democrat gubernatorial hopeful R. Creigh Deeds is airing a second ad in the Hampton Roads, Bristol, Roanoke and Richmond media markets to go along with his spot on education.

Former President Bill Clinton is adding a stop in Northern Virginia in his second swing across the state for Democratic gubernatorial prospect Terry McAuliffe. The McAuliffe organization said yesterday that Clinton will appear in the Washington suburbs May 13—one day before a previously announced stop in Norfolk.

Former President Bill Clinton is returning to Virginia for Terry McAuliffe, appearing with the Democratic gubernatorial prospect in Norfolk on May 14. On Monday Clinton stumped with McAuliffe in Richmond and Roanoke, depicting him as well-suited to guide Virginia out of recession. The selection of Norfolk is a signal that McAuliffe is targeting key Democratic voters. Southeastern Virginia has large numbers of trade unionists and African-Americans, blocs that could dominate the June 9 primary.

A new poll puts Republican Bob McDonnell ahead in a November Election Day showdown with any of the three Democratic challengers vying for their party’s nomination. The poll, conducted by SurveyUSA, shows the former Virginia attorney general beating state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, by five points—44 percent to 39 percent. The poll shows McDonnell beating former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe by seven points—46 percent to 39 percent—and beating former Del. Brian J. Moran, D-Alexandria, by 12 points—46 percent to 34 percent.

Former President Bill Clinton dashed across Virginia for pal Terry McAuliffe yesterday, saying the gubernatorial prospect can be President Barack Obama’s partner in reviving the economy. Appearing with McAuliffe in Richmond and Roanoke, Clinton said the millionaire investor and former chairman of the Democratic National Committee has the business and political credentials to work effectively with Obama, particularly with the federal government pumping billions in stimulus dollars into Virginia.