Mark Warner and Jim Gilmore face-off in Fairfax debate

Listen to the debate:

 

 Warner/Gilmore Debate - Fairfax Chamber of Commerce - Sept. 18, 2008: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (440)

Candidates for Virginia’s U.S. Senate seat, Republican Jim Gilmore and Democrat Mark Warner, both former Virginia governors, face-off in Fairfax today in one of two remaining debates this Senate campaign.

The debate at 10 a.m., before the sold-out Fairfax Chamber of Commerce in McLean, will be moderated by Fox News’ Chris Wallace and include panelists Jeff Schapiro of the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Kojo Nnamdi of NPR.

This is the second time the candidates have met formally to debate, the first being in Homestead where the focus was largely energy and taxes. Neither candidate received a significant ‘bounce’ from the debate, which has proven advantageous to Warner who holds a twenty point lead in the polls.

A final debate, sponsored by the League of Women’s Voters, which Warner had previously declined due to a scheduling conflict, will be Oct. 3 and may be the only debate to be televised state-wide.

As news of today’s debate becomes available, this post will be updated.

Update: AP’s Bob Lewis and Matt Barakat have this initial report:

In his opening remarks, Warner looked at Gilmore and said Washington needs more people who can read a balance sheet.

Gilmore retaliated by hitting Warner on his pledge as a candidate in 2001 not to raise taxes, then signing a tax increase into law. In Gilmore’s words, “bipartisanship, Mark, is no substitute for honesty.”

Here’s how they’re playing it from the Warner Campaign.

Gilmore’s statement:

“Bipartisanship is no substitute for honesty,” repeated Gilmore, when Mark Warner addressed issues of taxes, drilling for oil, and Warner’s support for undermining Virginia’s Right To Work Law. “What the people want, –Republicans, Democrats and Independents, is a U.S. Senator who will keep his word.”

Throughout the debate Gilmore called on Mark Warner to be honest with Virginians, reminding the audience and those watching at home on TV, that Mark Warner broke his promise to not raise taxes while governor, lied about there being a budget deficit in Virginia, and even hid a budget surplus to pass the highest tax increase in Virginia history.

“Be honest, Mark Warner, when you raised taxes in Virginia, not one dime went to Northern Virginia or transportation,” responded Gilmore, when Mark Warner tried to give himself credit for transportation accomplishments in Virginia. “As U.S. Senator, I will make sure revenues collected for transportation through the gasoline tax will go to building more roads, not so-called ‘transportation enhancements’, like lighthouses and critter underpasses.”

Tags: Jim Gilmore, Mark Warner, U.S. Senate

Category: Campaigns and Elections