The business community isn’t writing checks to Ken Cuccinelli’s gubernatorial campaign — certainly not like they were to Bob McDonnell’s effort in 2009. The reason? Bloomberg News says it’s because the AG is a culture warrior who scares the dickens out of the corner office types.
A few colorful quotes are included to show just how broad-minded some of these business leaders are. While I do not doubt the sincerity of their beliefs on some social issues, I think an answer for why those who backed McDonnell aren’t plumping for Cuccinelli lies elsewhere.
Cuccinelli has proposed a tax overhaul that includes a thorough review of the state’s corporate welfare programs. That’s a sticking point for some corporatists, particularly those who are current recipients of state support.
There are other concerns. As the Bloomberg piece notes, is that Cuccinelli opposed the transportation law McDonnell & Co, enacted this year. Cuccinelli supported an alternative bill that was just as problematic as the one that passed. Selling that distinction is hard — and largely a waste of time. Cuccinelli has backed and filled on the matter, saying he will not try to undo what has been done, while also saying that he has additional transportation fixes in the works.
This latter point is crucial. In Saturday’s debate, Cuccinelli stated that his additional reforms would leave Virginia’s governors with far less power over road decisions — points he alluded to in this Washington Post op-ed pieceL
Instead of political reasoning, my administration would rely on a statewide traffic congestion index to determine how new construction is prioritized. Every locality in Virginia would have independent trigger mechanisms — based on quantifiable measures of traffic congestion and road capacity — that will determine funding and prioritization of projects. No matter how vigorously certain localities or special interests try to sway lawmakers in Richmond, every new project would be considered under the same guidelines. When it comes to transportation spending, this frugal and objective approach would relieve more congestion than McAuliffe’s attempts to use precious transportation dollars to reward his union supporters and fund projects for the well connected.
The numbers — not the lobbyists — will dictate Virginia’s transportation projects if I am elected governor. Our plan will allow for significantly more transparency and public input, which I believe will have a positive impact on the system.
Now we’re getting closer to the reasons why some corporate wallets are closed to Cuccinelli: on transportation, at least, special pleaders and their well-financed lobbyists may find themselves with much less leverage over future construction projects.
This is very much an insider’s game. Regarding the larger picture, the Richmond Times-Dispatch notes:
McAuliffe stressed Cuccinelli’s social agenda, yet even then he undermined what should have been a strong case. On the one hand, he said Cuccinelli’s zeal regarding abortion, homosexuality and other issues threatened to drive away businesses thinking of locating in Virginia. On the other hand, he said he put GreenTech in Mississippi for economic reasons. Mississippi’s social attitudes and practices seemingly played no role. Mississippi is not noted for its social and cultural liberalism. It might be the country’s most racially divided state. No one would mistake it for Vermont. The Times-Dispatch has opposed key components of Cuccinelli’s social crusades and, if he is elected governor, will continue to oppose them. We also suspect business leaders follow McAuliffe’s example and look first, and perhaps exclusively, at the bottom line. Boardrooms seldom resemble divinity schools.
And that, folks, is the real bottom line. Calling out Cuccinelli on social issues makes for excellent quotes and juicy headlines, but in the end, corporations will put their real money in locations that offer the best returns. Virginia offers that and, should Cuccinelli win the election and succeed in ridding the state of the corporate income tax, its offerings will become even more attractive to businesses.
If corporate campaign donors prefer to put their faith, and cash, behind Terry McAuliffe, they are perfectly free to do so. But they are also telegraphing their desire to keep the crony capitalist gravy train rolling — or better yet, making it go even faster. Perhaps that explains why, in his book, “What a Party,” McAuliffe said raising money for a gubernatorial candidate was so much easier than it was for a presidential candidate:
Now let me tell you, it’s a lot easier to raise money for a governor. They have all kinds of business to hand out, road contracts, construction jobs, you name it.
Get on board with Terry, and you’ll be sure to get yours. Sign up with Ken, and you just may have to make it all by yourself.
