Why I Support Bob

I had the privilege of serving with Bob McDonnell in the House of Delegates for three years prior to his election as our Attorney General in 2005.  During that time, I watched him as the Chairman of the Courts of Justice Committee and as an assistant floor leader for the House GOP majority.  I learned a great deal about how a conservative leader can successfully pursue a positive agenda despite opposition from liberal obstructionists in the Senate and in the Governor’s office.  Bob McDonnell accomplished this by effectively communicating a positive message of reform, by engaging opponents and persuading them of the merits of various portions of his agenda, and by building a consensus around those portions to overcome any remaining opposition and achieve his core policy goals, all without abandoning his conservative principles.

After his election as Attorney General, I was honored to be appointed by the Speaker to replace him on the Courts of Justice Committee in 2006.  I have also had the honor of carrying and successfully passing a portion of his legislative agenda during each year of his four-year term as Attorney General, including a bill to address identity theft in 2006, elder abuse in 2007, trademark infringement in 2008, and gang violence in 2009.  Each time, I have reflected on and used the lessons I learned from watching Bob McDonnell achieve his conservative policy goals through consensus-building and the power of persuasion.  As House Chairman of the Conservative Caucus, I know that Bob McDonnell will use these skills as Governor to build a record of accomplishment that we can be proud of, both as conservatives and as Virginians.