Democratic Sen. Creigh Deeds on Sunday invoked Donald Trump and Congressman Jim Moran, his opponent’s powerful older brother, in a bid to tar his gubernatorial primary rivals as beholden to moneyed interests in D.C. and New York.
Until now, the state senator from Bath County seemed mostly content to let his two opponents — former Virginia Delegate Brian Moran and former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe — snipe at each other. But trailing in polls and lagging in attention, Deeds used the first debate at the College of William and Mary to escalate an already tense primary race.
“We will not be the party of the middle class if the nominee of this party is beholden to Donald Trump and Wall Street interests, or the tainted defense contractors who got millions of earmarks from a brother in Congress,” Deeds said in his closing.
The victor of the June 9 primary will face former Virginia Attorney General Robert McDonnell, a Republican, in the general election.
McAuliffe, who has been unapologetic about raising cash from out-of-state sources, reported $4 million in first quarter-fundraising. That total includes $25,000 from Trump, $50,000 from the New York-based investment firm Avenue Capital Management, and $100,000 from
Chicago billionaire J.B. Pritzker, among other big donors, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
Moran took heat for taking contributions from defense contractors who are seeking earmarks from his brother, Rep. Jim Moran, a veteran Democratic congressman who represents Virginia’s 8th District. His donors include George J. Pedersen of Mantech International Corp., who has donated $75,000 to Moran’s gubernatorial bid since April 2008, according to VPAP.
“We will have lost our way if we allow the Wall Street establishment or a corrupt political establishment to control our agenda for the next four years,” Deeds added.
Moran has long sought to paint McAuliffe as a brash money-man whose fundraising prowess is cause for suspicion, not an asset. But the broadside by Deeds leaves Moran combating accusations of the same nature.
Moran spokesman Jesse Ferguson said Deeds neglected to mention that many of the donors in question also donated to the campaigns of Gov. Tim Kaine and his predecessor, Mark Warner, now a U.S. Senator.
“He’s proud of the fact that there are Virginia businesses supporting him,” Ferguson said.
