The Arlington Democrats hosted the entire statewide Democratic ticket at their annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner Saturday night, and watched the party’s nominees for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general give passionate campaign speeches.
Terry McAuliffe, the Democrats’ gubernatorial candidate, arrived late but closed the event with the keynote address, touching on the effects sequestration will continue to have on Virginia’s economy, noting Arlington’s place as a hub for defense jobs, in particular.
“The stakes have never been higher,” McAuliffe told the crowd of several hundred local political leaders and fundraisers. “You want a governor who knows the ups and downs of business.”
Arlington Democrats Chairman Mike Lieberman delivered the first speech of the event, held annually at the Westin in Ballston, chronicling the past 12 months in Arlington politics from the left.
“We have had an amazing last year in the Arlington Democrats,” said Lieberman, who is in his final year as chair of the local party. “We went eight-for-eight in general elections on three different election days.”
The dinner — which cost $125 a plate for the general public and $250 for VIPs — is the organization’s biggest fundraising event. The Dems also raised money with a raffle and silent auction during the dinner.
Through June 30, McAuliffe has raised almost $12.7 million, compared to almost $7.7 million for his Republican opponent, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, according to the Federal Election Bureau. Lt. Gov. candidate Sen. Ralph Northam (D-6) has raised more than $2 million compared to $390,683 raised by his GOP opponent, E.W. Jackson, and Attorney General candidate Sen. Mark Herring (D-33) has raised $1.6 million to Republican Sen. Mark Obenshain’s (R-26) $1.2 million.
Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) gave a fiery speech after Lieberman, lambasting the Republicans in the House of Representatives who he said have been obstructionists and damaging to the country.
“There’s always going to be people who want plunder villages for their own benefit,” Moran said, recounting stories of his travels overseas to make his point.
Herring and Northam spoke in more tempered tones than Moran and McAuliffe, emphasizing their strongest issues — Herring on the social issues that have come to the fore in Cuccinelli’s tenure as Attorney General, Northam on the Chesapeake Bay and healthcare.
“I will be a bulwark against the radicalization of Mark Obenshain, E.W. Jackson and Ken Cuccinelli,” Herring said.
McAuliffe also spent time talking about the state’s transportation issues, commending Gov. Bob McDonnell on his work to pass the state’s new transportation bill, and railed against Virginia’s pay of teachers and promised to opt into the Medicaid expansion clause of the Affordable Care Act.
“I have to stop a 40-year jinx,” he said. “Whoever wins the White House, the other party has won the governor’s race, but I’m going to break it.”
