Jody and the Valley Blues Brothers - Hart, Marrow and Curren

Greg Marrow (HD candidate, 25th) and Jody Wagner (Lt. Gov. candidate)
photo credit: Crystal Graham, Augusta Free Press

Today, Jody Wagner, Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor, made a opening foray into the Valley of Virginia in what will be a full-contact battle for the hearts and minds of voters in the "rest of Virginia".

For the small business owners, and party activists that she met, Jody hit all the right notes on economic development and transportation infrastructure issues. She spent time visiting area businesses, and meeting the local Blues Brothers: Gene Hart (Harrisonburg), Greg Marrow (Waynesboro)and Erik Curren (Staunton), who appear to be eager and ready to rock and roll in their campaigns for the 26th, 25th and 20th House of Delegate seats.

Wagner made it clear that her Republican opponent, Bill Bolling, had better come up with a better song about his newly-found religion on economic development.

So far he, and running mate Bob McDonnell, are doing a poor job of trying to sing out of the Democratic song book on jobs. The working-class folks of the Valley aren't likely to enjoy the noise these two GOP mocking birds are making. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs .... Me Too, Me Too! Silly birds!

from the Augusta Free Press:

“It’s interesting that last week Bill Bolling was traveling around the state, and he was talking about the fact that the Governor’s Opportunity Fund has to be greater. Well, he’s been part of the crowd that’s been cutting the Governor’s Opportunity Fund. And cutting the Virginia Economic Development (Partnership)’s funding,” Wagner said, referring to her Republican opponent, the sitting lieutenant governor, Bill Bolling, and his sudden interest in increasing the state’s commitment to the Opportunity Fund now that he is up for re-election.

“It’s interesting that Bill Bolling has been lieutenant governor for almost four years, and it took up until three months before the election for him to take notice of the fact that we had a shortage in the Governor’s Opportunity Fund,” Wagner said.

Full Story at the Augusta Free Press and NBC29 coverage of Waynesboro tour.

ABC TV3 coverage of Harrisonburg visit:

Wagner says transportation is a highly debated issue between her and her opponent.

"You're trying to seduce a business to come here. If you're beginning construction on a road, that's encouraging," says Wagner. "If you're just talking about the road, and you've been talking about it since 2000, it's hard to get a business to believe you're actually going to do it."

cross-posted: Blue Ridge Data