With just hours left to vote in the battleground state of Virginia, former Senator George Allen is campaigning to the last moment in his effort to defeat former Gov. Tim Kaine and win back the seat he lost in 2006.
Allen is urging all Virginians to head to the polls but suggests that common sense should convince people to pick him to serve in Washington.
“I feel that anybody who pays taxes, works for a living or lost a job, anybody who drives a car or uses electricity or anybody who believes health care decisions ought to be made by doctors and patients rather than by a panel in Washington should be on our side,” said Allen Tuesday afternoon while on the road to Richmond. “Virginians are going to make a decision about the future of our country. I’m hopeful and optimistic that they’ll want our country ascending once again.”
Allen says there are several major issues on which he and Kaine differ strongly, including Allen’s passion to lift restrictions on coal production and offshore energy exploration while Kaine has been less committed on that front.
Allen says there are also huge differences on defense spending and taxes. In a defense-heavy state like Virginia, Allen says pushing a trillion dollars in cuts for national security spending is a terrible idea.
“A big difference with my opponent are these devastating defense cuts,” said Allen. ” He continues to say that this sequestration deal is the right thing to do and there’s over 200,000 defense-related jobs and technology jobs at risk in Virginia and obviously our military readiness is going to be harmed from it.”
The GOP nominee also blasts Kaine for pushing tax hikes on the wealthy to fight the nation’s huge deficits.
“Raising taxes will only make our economy weaker and there will be more job losses,” said Allen. “What we need to do is have a balanced approach and one of the best ways to raise revenues is with a vibrant, strong economy.”
One of Kaine’s most frequent campaign strategies is to portray himself as someone who reaches across the aisle and works well with others to get things done in the interest of all Virginians and all Americans. Kaine contends Allen’s record is one of partisanship, but Allen says the facts prove otherwise.
“I’m the only candidate who has actually produced results working with a Democratic majority in the state legislature when I was governor,” said Allen, who served as the commonwealth’s chief executive from 1994-1998. “We cut taxes, we froze college tuition, we abolished a lenient, dishonest parole system, put in ‘truth in sentencing’ and over 300,000 net new jobs were created. When Tim was governor, he spent his last year in the most partisan job in America as chairman of the Democratic National Committee, advocating so many of these initiatives that are hurting Virginia. In fact, Democrats and Republicans voted against his massive tax increases.”
Allen says Virginia lost 100,000 jobs while Kaine was governor between 2006-2010.
Allen has run statewide three times in the past and this is his third senate race. He says he is seeing energy and enthusiasm like never before.
“We do see much more enthusiasm on our side,” he said. “People do recognize that our children and grandchildren aren’t going to have the same opportunities that we had growing up if America continues down this dismal path with diminished opportunities.”
Polls in Virginia are open until 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
