Former Gov. Holton Endorses Deeds

Amherst County Virginia Democratic News

"straight-talking, honest, clean leader."

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Former Virginia Gov. Linwood Holton, who in the 1960s became the first Republican elected to statewide office since Reconstruction, endorsed Democrat Creigh Deeds this morning.

Holton lives in Richmond, but the campaign chose the Clarendon Metro stop as the location for a press conference on the announcement -- all the better to get on D.C. area television to talk about, what else, transportation.

The D.C. media turned out to hear Holton praise Deeds's everything-is-on-the-table (including a possible tax increase) plan as the "most realistic" approach to boosting transportation funding.

By contrast, Holton said Republican Bob McDonnell's transportation proposals rely on "false promises": a promise to use oil revenue that is not currently legally available under federal law, a proposal to shift general funding money now used to support other state needs, a pledge to privatize state-run ABC liquor stores.

"There will be no sale of the ABC system system in Virginia as long as the General Assembly exists," Holton said.

Holton called Deeds a "straight-talking, honest, clean leader."

Deeds said he'd spent the past couple of days in Northern Virginia, observing traffic and talking to commuters on the Metro, and the experience had reinforced for him the importance of improving transportation. He assured the small crowd of reporters and supporters twice that this was not his first time riding Metro.

"I learned a long time ago when you want to do something in D.C., it's smarter when you're coming from Bath County, park at Vienna," Deeds joked.

Abner Linwood Holton, Jr. (born September 21, 1923) was the first Republican Governor of Virginia since Reconstruction. He was governor from 1970 to 1974.
After his retirement, Holton had supported moderate Republicans, including John Warner. As the Virginia Republican Party became more conservative, however, he found himself more in line with the state Democratic Party.



As Governor, he increased employment of blacks and women in state government, created the Virginia Governor's Schools Program in 1973, and provided the first state funds for community mental health centers, and supported environmental
efforts.



Following his term as Governor, he currently practices law as a shareholder at McCandlish Holton, P.C., and later served as President of the Center for Innovative Technology.


http://www.deedsforvirginia.com/issues

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