Former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine Predicts Extremely Close Delegate Race

Former Gov. Tim Kaine headlined a fundraiser for delegate candidate Pamela Danner on Tuesday night and gave a master class in Virginia politics.

Kaine, a Democrat who is running for a Virginia U.S. Senate seat in 2012, told the estimated 80 guests gathered at a Langley Farms home that the upcoming November elections would have a low turnout because there is no major top-of-the ticket race. On Nov. 8, Virginia voters elect the 100-member House of Delegates, the 40-member state Senate and county and school board offices.

"There will be more close races because of the low turnout," he said.

Danner is challenging Republican incumbent Barbara Comstock, R-34, who won the seat two years ago by 422 votes.

Kaine forecast "this race will be closer than two years ago. I think it will be a real close one."

Virginia, once an overwhelmingly Democratic state that became Republican, is now a battleground state. Northern Virginia, particularly Fairfax County, is the heart of that battleground.

"The state Senate is absolutely certain that it remains in Democratic hands" with a Republican governor and Republicans controlling the House of Delegates, Kaine said.

The Democrats have no chance of taking the House but "we have to win some surprising seats and show that we are on the move. ... A place where we might be able to get" more balance in the House is in Northern Virginia, he said.

"Pam has a great opportunity to win," Kaine said because she is fiscally conservative and socially moderate. "She would really represent where Virginia is these days."

Kaine then picked up the Democratic theme of this race – that Comstock is too conservative for the 34th District.

Kaine said he usually doesn't talk much about the opposition but said that Comstock's efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and to cut public education spending "would take the state in the wrong direction."

Danner said, "Barbara Comstock is out of touch." Comstock voted to oppose stem cell research in Virginia and voted to repeal the one gun a month law, Danner said.

The fundraising party was hosted by William N. Dudley, president and CEO of Bechtel Group, one of the country's oldest and best known engineering and construction companies.

"We want to support our Democratic candidates," said Dr. Robert Silverman, of McLean, who attended the party. "We supported Margi Vanderhye (whom Comstock defeated two years ago) and we want to continue our Democratic traditions."

John Speicher, of Langley, who is vice chair of the Citizens Advisory Council to the McLean Police District, said he was attending with his wife because "My wife and I are interested in what every candidate has to say about themselves. ... We want to hear what they have to say positive for themselves."

Dudley and his wife live next door to Hickory Hill.

Snapshot of the House of Delegates District 34, which encompasses the following localities:

*Barbara Comstock does not allow press coverage of her fundraisers. Danner publicly announces hers.