Attorney gen. candidate Cuccinelli urges local Republicans to vote

Republican attorney general candidate Ken Cuccinelli stopped in Danville on Saturday and urged local Republicans to push to “get the vote out” in the days before Election Day.

Cuccinelli, a state senator of Fairfax County, joined other candidates in urging the continuation of a grassroots campaign to elect and re-elect Republicans into office at a breakfast hosted by both the Danville and Pittsylvania County Republican committees.

“We’re coming back, America’s coming back and it’s going to start here in Virginia,” Cuccinelli said. “We all need to work together to finish this out.”

Cuccinelli, who is running against Democrat and Delegate Steve Shannon of Fairfax for attorney general, shared his background and goals with the 75 breakfast attendees.

As a private attorney who has served on the Courts of Justice Committee in the state Senate, Cuccinelli said he knows the law. He said he has been involved with every change regarding the criminal justice system during the past seven years.

In the attorney general’s office, public safety is No. 1, Cuccinelli said. Yet, he added an attorney general’s responsibilities go beyond that.

Virginia voters are asking about economic issues and Cuccinelli said government should get out of the way and allow opportunities for growth.

He supports Virginia as a right-to-work state and doesn’t believe workers should be forced to join a union as a condition of employment.

Cuccinelli said he supports protecting life, family, liberties and marriage. He has openly been an opponent of abortion and same-sex unions.

The attorney, with a background in business and mental health law, told attendees he stays in line with key principles and the Constitution and he’s willing to fight — even if that means fighting the federal government, the Democrats or his own party.

“I will do my homework and when I determine what the right position is, I’m going to fight for it,” Cuccinelli said. “I think you should have a fighter as attorney general.”

The candidate impressed attendee Wayne Robertson of Pittsylvania County.

“He seems to have done his homework on the issues,” Robertson said.

After the breakfast, Republicans passed out signs and began door-to-door campaigning.

County committee chairman Ronnie Mayhew and Danville committee chairman Nick Fowler agreed that voters need to send Democrats and Washington, D.C., a message on Election Day.

Delegate Danny Marshall, who is running for re-election in the 14th District, agreed that voters in Southside and Virginia could set the “tone for the rest of the United States.”

• Bozick is a staff writer for the Danville Register & Bee.