In Sunday's edition, the Bristol Herald Courier endorses Tim Kaine for Governor. The paper, with a circulation of about 40,000, is based in Jerry Kilgore's home region of Southwest Virginia, making the endorsement sting even worse for the hometown boy. In addition, the paper endorsed President Bush in 2004 over John Kerry, and TERRY Kilgore (Jerry's brother) over Rex McCarty for House of Delegates just yesterday. So, it's certainly no liberal rag.What made the Herald Courier switch sides from its native son? Here's the paper's reasoning, in its own words (bolding added):
Kilgore?s policy stances ? particularly his absolute devotion to the far-right?s anti-tax orthodoxy and wedge social issues ? don?t make sense for the region or the state as a whole. Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine is the better of the two major-party gubernatorial candidates and, as such, receives the Bristol Herald Courier editorial board?s endorsement.[...]
The best candidate for the office, Gov. Mark Warner, is prohibited by an arcane state law from running again. Warner?s accomplishments are well known. He inherited a state in fiscal crisis, but turned the state around with the help of a bipartisan group of state lawmakers. The resulting budget reforms included modest increases in the sales and cigarette taxes, along with a grocery tax cut and elimination of the marriage tax penalty. The move kept the state from losing its AAA bond rating and led to its recognition as one of the best-governed in the nation.
Kaine is the best man to keep the state moving along that same sensible, centrist path. Kilgore opposed the unpleasant, but necessary, tax increases.
On transportation, Kaine promises to couple land-use planning with any new road construction ? a necessity in the sprawling urban areas up north. Both he and Kilgore pledge progress on the Coalfields Expressway, but Kaine is more flexible on Interstate 81 and is willing to consider railroad expansion as a solution to truck overcrowding.
[...]
On taxes, Kilgore?s populist talk of tax increases by referendum only is a recipe for economic disaster and an abdication of responsibility.
In the end, it is Kaine who has the vision to pick up Warner?s mantle and move the state forward. We urge voters to support him Nov. 8.
Ouch!! Frankly, this sounds like something we here at Raising Kaine could have written. But instead, it came from a Bush-endorsing newspaper in Jerry Kilgore's home region of Southwest Virginia. The bottom line is that this rejection by his own regional paper is not a good sign for Jerry Kilgore. On the other hand, it's great news for Tim Kaine. What does the Kilgore campaign have left over the next 9 days besides lots more negativity and nastiness? Brace yourselves...