McDonnell Endorsed by Northern Virginia Technology Council

Influential Group Comprised of Roughly 1,000 Companies Representing 200,000 Employees

In Last Six Weeks McDonnell Endorsed by: The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation; Virginia Realtors; Virginia Credit Unions; National Federation of Independent Business; National Rifle Association; Fairfax Chamber of Commerce; Fraternal Order of Police; The Humane Society; Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce; Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce; Associated Builders and Contractors

RICHMOND- The Northern Virginia Technology Council, through its TechPAC, endorsed Bob McDonnell today in the 2009 race for governor. The group is comprised of roughly 1,000 technology companies in Northern Virginia representing 200,000 employees and is widely seen as the voice of the Northern Virginia technology community. With today’s endorsement McDonnell has now been endorsed by major business groups all across the Commonwealth. McDonnell has received endorsements from the Virginia chapter of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the Virginia Realtors, the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, the Virginia Credit Union League, and the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce.

Speaking about today’s endorsement, McDonnell noted, “Northern Virginia’s technology community powers the economy of our state. The men and women who work at these companies are the innovators key to Virginia, and America’s, future economic prosperity. They want a governor who will put in place policies that allow them to grow jobs, create wealth, and expand their operations. That is the kind of governor I will be. I know we share the same commitment to ensuring a greater focus on science, technology, engineering and math in our schools to prepare our young people for the high-paying jobs of tomorrow. We also share an equal commitment to expanding affordability and accessibility at our colleges and universities to give Virginia one of the world’s most highly educated and well-prepared workforces.”

McDonnell continued, “This campaign is about who is best prepared to lead an economic resurgence in Virginia in the years ahead as our next governor. And that makes this endorsement even more noteworthy. The NVTC is the voice of Northern Virginia’s technology community of today. Equally important, however, the NVTC is also the voice of Virginia’s economy of tomorrow. The member companies that make up the NVTC represent the future of work in the Commonwealth. I am honored to have received this pivotal endorsement, and I look forward to continuing to partner with the NVTC in the years ahead as we get our economy back on track and new jobs created all across Virginia.”

From the official NVTC Endorsement Release:

The TechPAC Board of Trustees voted to endorse Bob McDonnell following a thorough review of each candidate’s voting records on issues of importance to Northern Virginia’s technology community and face-to-face interviews with each candidate. During the interview process, technology business leaders discussed with each candidate their campaign platforms and proposals, voting records, and positions on the issues in NVTC’s technology business agenda.

“While the NVTC TechPAC Board of Trustees has a great deal of respect for Creigh Deeds and his commitment to Virginia, the Trustees determined that Bob McDonnell is a strong leader with specific proposals to ensure Virginia remains a competitive and innovative global technology center,” said Dendy Young, TechPAC Chairman and Chairman and CEO of McLean Capital, LLC. “McDonnell has a consistent history of working closely with our technology industry and will build on his record of developing and supporting Virginia’s technology initiatives and on his long-term commitment to business development in the Commonwealth.”

Launched by NVTC in 2001, NVTC TechPAC is governed by a 25 member Board of Trustees that includes prominent business leaders representing many of the largest and well known technology businesses in the region as well as the smaller entrepreneurial businesses that help drive Northern Virginia’s technology economy. NVTC TechPAC identifies and supports General Assembly candidates throughout the state, as well as those candidates for Governor and Attorney General, whose positions, policies and initiatives best reflect the priorities and interests of Northern Virginia’s technology community.

NVTC TechPAC endorsement decisions are based on the issues and priorities articulated in the Northern Virginia Technology Council’s Policy Agenda (www.nvtc.org/advocacy/).

NVTC has about 1,000 member companies representing more than 200,000 employees.

For more information on NVTC visit: www.nvtc.org

Over the last 6 weeks McDonnell has been endorsed by

• Virginia Realtors ®, the largest trade association in Virginia with over 33,000 members
• Virginia AgPAC, the political action committee of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation with over 147,000 members statewide
• The Virginia Credit Union League, a trade association representing the Commonwealth’s 194 not-for-profit credit unions and the 3 million member-owners residing in Virginia
• The National Federation of Independent Businesses, the leading small business association in the Commonwealth whose membership consists of nearly 6,000 small businesses across the state
• The National Rifle Association, widely recognized as America’s foremost defender of Second Amendment rights, with over 120,000 members in Virginia
• The Virginia Fraternal Order of Police, the voice of our nation’s law enforcement officers with nearly 8,000 members and 50 lodges across Virginia
• The Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, the voice of business in Northern Virginia and widely regarded as Northern Virginia’s premier business organization
• The Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, the premier business organization in Hampton Roads consisting of 2,500 member firms that employ nearly 300,000 working men and women
• The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States
• The Associated Builders and Contractors, representing 600 Companies Statewide