Deeds goes on offensive as election draws closer

Sen. R. Creigh Deeds launched three new statewide TV ads on Monday in an effort to extend a recent surge in the polls in his gubernatorial campaign against GOP nominee Bob McDonnell.

Top advisors to Deeds — a Democrat from Bath County who represents the Charlottesville region — pointed out a Washington Post poll published Sunday shows that Deeds jumped from trailing McDonnell by 15 points on Aug. 14 to only 4 points behind on Sept. 17.

Another poll, conducted by Rasmussen Reports, found that Deeds has gone from 9 points behind to within 2 points of McDonnell’s lead over a span of two weeks.

“Internally and externally, we feel very good about the campaign,” Deeds campaign manager Joe Abbey said Monday. “Creigh is in great spirits.”

McDonnell spokeswoman Crystal Cameron said the former attorney general has always expected the gubernatorial race to be more competitive as the Nov. 3 election approaches.

“We’ve always known that this would be a close and competitive race,” said Cameron, a former NBC 29 news anchor. “We’ve always run our campaign like we were down 10 points in the polls.”

Deeds’ momentum comes in the aftermath of reports about McDonnell’s 1989 master’s thesis in which he described working women as “detrimental to the family,” denounced the lack of religion in public schools and criticized a U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing contraception for married couples.

McDonnell has repudiated his past views on women in the workplace and has also said that he would not do anything to restrict contraception if elected governor.

Two of Deeds’ new TV spots seek to capitalize on McDonnell’s past views on abortion and contraception and aim to link those views to legislation that McDonnell sponsored or co-sponsored during his time in the General Assembly.

Ads pull no punches

“Bob McDonnell, we know what you wrote about working women … and we’ve seen all your ads and heard your excuses,” a woman says in one of the ads. “We’ve read your words. We’ve checked your record. Why did you vote that way?”

The ads say that McDonnell introduced 35 bills restricting abortion while serving in the General Assembly.

Cameron called Deeds’ new TV ads “vicious and false.”

“With only six weeks to go until Election Day, it’s incredibly disappointing that Mr. Deeds continues to wage these negative and false attacks on Bob McDonnell,” Cameron said. “This is just another example of how desperate he is to rally his own base.”

During his time in the House of Delegates, McDonnell introduced 386 bills and only eight dealt with abortion. “That’s only 2 percent of his bills,” she said.

Deeds spokesman Jared Leopold stood by the ads, clarifying that McDonnell either sponsored or co-sponsored 35 bills dealing with abortion.

McDonnell’s campaign also said it is false for Deeds’ ads to claim that McDonnell opposed contraception for married couples.

McDonnell team fights back

“The Facts: Bob McDonnell has NEVER opposed birth control for married adults,” a news release said.

Deeds’ campaign pointed to several of McDonnell’s votes in the General Assembly that dealt with birth control.

In 1997, they said, McDonnell was one of 14 legislators who voted against a measure to prohibit health insurance companies from denying benefits for prescription contraceptives. And in 2002, they said, McDonnell voted for a bill to allow pharmacists to refuse to dispense contraceptives.

Deeds’ third TV ad portrays the rural Bath County native as someone who can bring all of Virginia together.

“When I think of taking Virginia forward, I think of places and people that need jobs and need hope,” Deeds says. “I think somebody like me from my part of the state can bring people together to create consensus and do the things that are necessary to create opportunity in every part of Virginia.”

Deeds’ three ads are running in media markets across Virginia, including in Charlottesville.

Cameron criticized the Deeds campaign for focusing on social issues rather than concerns like jobs or transportation.

“We’re addressing issues of concern to Virginia,” she said.