Debate recap: George Allen Contrasts Records of Priorities with Tim Kaine

In case you missed it, George Allen contrasted records of priorities in the U.S. Senate debate last night with Tim Kaine, highlighting his own record of putting Virginians first  versus Tim Kaine’s record of choosing party politics first. Even though he traveled the country giving political speeches and raising campaign money, Tim Kaine called his last year as Governor his “best year.” That’s news to Virginians who remember him leaving office with 100,000 fewer jobs, deep education cuts, closed rest stops and a tax increase plan unanimously rejected by Republicans and Democrats.

Building on his record of working across the aisle to help create 300,000 net new private sector jobs, George Allen highlighted his plan to create millions of new jobs by making the tax code more fair and competitive, repealing burdensome regulations and the health care tax law, and unleashing America’s energy resources. George Allen knows his job is to fight for Virginians’ jobs.

Here’s What They’re Saying…

George Allen Envisions A Better Future, With Lower Taxes

“Allen, Governor From 1994 To 1998, Said In His Opening Statement: ‘I Envision A Much Better Future Than What We're Having To Endure These Days,’ Citing His ‘Blueprint For America's Comeback.’”  (Andrew Cain, “Allen, Kaine Trade Barbs On Records,” Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Virginia Politics, 10/9/12)

·         “‘The question is which one of us can be counted on,’ Allen said.”  (Andrew Cain, “Allen, Kaine Trade Barbs On Records,” Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Virginia Politics, 10/9/12)

“Allen Repeated His Opposition To Tax Increases And Called For Repealing The Federal Health Care Overhaul, Simplifying The Tax Code And Allowing Oil And Gas Drilling Off Virginia’s Coast To Generate Revenue.”  (Michael Sluss, “Allen, Kaine Criticize Each Other’s Records, Stances At Debate,” The Roanoke Times, 10/9/12)

“Allen Said The Federal Health Care Overhaul Will Drain More Than $700 Billion From Medicare Over 10 Years.”  (Michael Sluss, “Allen, Kaine Criticize Each Other’s Records, Stances At Debate,” The Roanoke Times, 10/9/12)

Holds Kaine Accountable For His Continued Support For Failed Debt Deal That Will Cost Virginia More Than 200,000 Jobs

Headline: “Allen, Kaine Take Off Gloves In Va. Senate Debate.”  (David Sherfinski, “Allen, Kaine Take Off Gloves In Va. Senate Debate,” The Washington Times, 10/8/12)

·         “The looming $500 billion in defense cuts that resulted after Congress reached a deal to raise the debt ceiling last summer has fast emerged as a central campaign theme for Mr. Allen, who consistently points to Mr. Kaine’s support for the deal.” (David Sherfinski, “Allen, Kaine Take Off Gloves In Va. Senate Debate,” The Washington Times, 10/8/12)

“As Expected, The Issue Of Looming Defense Cuts Made Its Way Into The Debate, With Allen Continuing To Assail Kaine For His Support Of Last Year’s Bipartisan Debt Deal. . .”  (Wesley P. Hester, “Allen, Kaine Attack In Debate; Charges Begin At Outset,” Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Virginia Politics, 10/8/12)

·         “Due to the failure of the deal’s so-called ‘super committee’ to identify alternate deficit reductions, $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts to defense and domestic spending are due to take effect next year if Congress and the president cannot reach a new deal.”  (Wesley P. Hester, “Allen, Kaine Attack In Debate; Charges Begin At Outset,” Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Virginia Politics, 10/8/12)

·         “Virginia stands to lose 207,571 jobs from federal spending cuts -- 136,191 resulting from Department of Defense cuts and 71,380 from non-Defense Department cuts – if the sequestration is not averted, according to an analysis released in July.”  (Wesley P. Hester, “Allen, Kaine Attack In Debate; Charges Begin At Outset,” Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Virginia Politics, 10/8/12)

“Allen Hammered Kaine For Initially Supporting A Deal To Raise The Nation's Borrowing Limit That Now Threatens To Impose $500 Billion In Defense Cuts That Could Devastate Virginia's Economy.”  (Steve Contorno, “Allen, Kaine Clash In Second Debate,” The Washington Examiner, 10/8/12)

Kaine Continues To Promise He’ll Increase Taxes

Headline: “Tim Kaine Explicitly Endorses Tax Hikes In Debate With Allen.”  (Kevin Glass, “Tim Kaine Explicitly Endorses Tax Hikes In Debate With Allen,” Town Hall, 10/8/12)

George Allen: “‘The one thing we shouldn’t be doing, though, and that is what Tim Kaine tried to do as governor, and that is raise taxes on seniors, working women and people earning as little as $17,000 a year,’ Mr. Allen said. ‘Those are the folks you’re talking about that are getting Social Security, and the last thing they need is more taxes imposed on them by the governor.’”  (David Sherfinski, “Allen, Kaine Take Off Gloves In Va. Senate Debate,” The Washington Times, 10/8/12)

Kaine Reiterated Plan To Increase Taxes. “Mr. Kaine reiterated his plan of allowing the Bush-era tax cuts to expire for incomes of more than $500,000, taking away subsidies for the country’s largest oil companies. . .”  (David Sherfinski, “Allen, Kaine Take Off Gloves In Va. Senate Debate,” The Washington Times, 10/8/12)

“Kaine Laid Out His Plan To End The Bush-Era Tax Cuts For Families Earning $500,000, Ending Subsidies To Large Oil Companies…”  (Cameron Joseph, “Allen, Kaine Get Under Each Other’s Skin,” The Hill’s Hill Tube, 10/8/12)

“Kaine Stressed The Need For . . . Allowing The Bush-Era Tax Cuts To Expire For Households Earning More Than $500,000 A Year.”  (Wesley P. Hester, “Allen, Kaine Attack In Debate; Charges Begin At Outset,” Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Virginia Politics, 10/8/12)

“On Taxes, Allen Accused Kaine Of Proposing Several Tax Increases During His Term As Governor From 2006 Into 2010, Including A Measure That Would Have Increased Taxes On People Earning As Little As $17,000 Annually.”  (“In First Televised Prime Time Va Senate Debate, Kaine And Allen Target Money, Women’s Issues,” The Associated Press, 10/8/12)

“Kaine Wants Congress To Let The “Bush” Tax Cuts Expire On People Earning More Than $500,000 A Year…”  (Chelyen Davis, “Allen, Kaine Face Off In Richmond Debate,” The Free Lance Star, 10/8/12)

“Kaine Said He Would Allow The Payroll Tax Cap To Adjust Upward Over Time…”  (Chelyen Davis, “Allen, Kaine Face Off In Richmond Debate,” The Free Lance Star, 10/8/12)

Kaine On Defense Over Taking Partisan Job As Democrat National Committee Chairman During Last Year In Office

“Kaine, Who Served As President Barack Obama's Hand-Picked Chairman Of The DNC From January 2009 To April 2011…” (Andrew Cain, “Allen, Kaine Trade Barbs On Records,” Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Virginia Politics, 10/9/12)

“Allen Repeatedly Attacked Kaine For Taking On The Role As Democratic National Committee Chairman His Final Year As Governor ‘Rather Than Focusing On The Dire Economic Crisis In Virginia,’ Suggesting It Was Also At Odds With Kaine's Efforts To Portray Himself As Bipartisan And Willing To Compromise.”  (Wesley P. Hester, “Allen, Kaine Attack In Debate; Charges Begin At Outset,” Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Virginia Politics, 10/8/12)

Headline: “Allen, Kaine Take Off Gloves In Va. Senate Debate.”  (David Sherfinski, “Allen, Kaine Take Off Gloves In Va. Senate Debate,” The Washington Times, 10/8/12)

·         “Mr. Allen — who headed the National Republican Senatorial Committee in the early 2000s — said in his opening statement that Mr. Kaine’s decision to serve as chairman of the Democratic National Committee during his final year as governor is ‘really the great unanswered question in this campaign.’”  (David Sherfinski, “Allen, Kaine Take Off Gloves In Va. Senate Debate,” The Washington Times, 10/8/12)

·         “‘How does a governor decide to take on a second job that sends him all over the country giving partisan speeches while over 100,000 jobs are lost in Virginia?’ Mr. Allen asked. ‘If Tim had been listening to the people of Virginia, who were really facing tough times, he might not have proposed raising taxes on working people, working women, seniors and small-business owners, as well as people earning as little as $17,000 a year.’”  (David Sherfinski, “Allen, Kaine Take Off Gloves In Va. Senate Debate,” The Washington Times, 10/8/12)

·         “‘If Tim’s in, he’ll be right in there for the same folks he’s been campaigning for all these years when he was chairman of the Democratic National Committee, ignoring the needs, the dire needs, of people in Virginia,’ Mr. Allen said, saying that he wanted to see change in Washington and ‘positive, constructive ideas.’ ‘Anybody who pays taxes should be on our side, unless you want to pay higher taxes.’”  (David Sherfinski, “Allen, Kaine Take Off Gloves In Va. Senate Debate,” The Washington Times, 10/8/12)

Headline: “Allen, Kaine Trade Barbs On Records.”  (Andrew Cain, “Allen, Kaine Trade Barbs On Records,” Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Virginia Politics, 10/9/12)

“Allen, A Republican, Chastised Kaine For Serving As Chairman Of The Democratic National Committee During The Last Year Of His Governorship.”  (Andrew Cain, “Allen, Kaine Trade Barbs On Records,” Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Virginia Politics, 10/9/12)

·         “‘It's really the great unanswered question in this campaign,’ Allen said in his opening statement of the debate, held at the studio of public television station WCVE in Chesterfield County.”  (Andrew Cain, “Allen, Kaine Trade Barbs On Records,” Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Virginia Politics, 10/9/12)

·         “‘How does a governor decide to take on a second job that sends him all over the country giving partisan speeches, while over 100,000 jobs are lost here in Virginia?’”  (Andrew Cain, “Allen, Kaine Trade Barbs On Records,” Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Virginia Politics, 10/9/12)

“Allen Reiterated That Kaine Should Have Said: ‘I Appreciate The Offer, But I Have A Job.’”  (Andrew Cain, “Allen, Kaine Trade Barbs On Records,” Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Virginia Politics, 10/9/12)

·         “‘You could have told the president that people are hurting in Virginia and you needed to give all your attention to the people of Virginia,’ Allen said, accusing Kaine of ‘not giving the people of Virginia 100 percent.’”  (Andrew Cain, “Allen, Kaine Trade Barbs On Records,” Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Virginia Politics, 10/9/12)

“Allen Attempted To Portray Kaine As Distracted During His Tenure As Governor, Focused On His Role As Chairman Of The Democratic National Committee During His Final Year In Office.”  (Errin Haines, “Virginia Senate Debate: George Allen, Tim Kaine Face Off In Richmond,” The Washington Post, 10/8/12)

·         “‘How does a governor decide to take on a second job that sends him all over the country while over 100,000 jobs are being lost in Virginia?’ asked Allen, who left the governor’s mansion in 1998. ‘As governor, you only get four years to have a positive impact on people’s lives. You could’ve told the president you needed to give all of your attention to the people of Virginia. You did not give them 100 percent.’”  (Errin Haines, “Virginia Senate Debate: George Allen, Tim Kaine Face Off In Richmond,” The Washington Post, 10/8/12)

“Allen Attempted To Punch Holes In Kaine's Bipartisan Narrative, However, By Focusing On The Fact That In 2009, The Last Year Of His Term As Governor, Kaine Was Also Serving As Chairman Of The Democratic National Committee At The Behest Of President Barack Obama.”  (Michael Warren, “Kaine Won’t Say If He’ll Support Reid For Majority Leader,” The Weekly Standard, 10/8/12)

·         “‘How does a governor decide to take on a second job that sends him all over the country, giving partisan speeches, while over 100,000 jobs are lost here in Virginia?’ Allen said. ‘If Tim had given his governorship the full attention, he might have avoided some mistakes like increasing college tutition by over 30 percent or closing rest areas. If he had been listening to the people of Virignia, who are really facing tough times, he might not have proposed raising taxes on working people, working women, seniors, and small business owners, as well as people earning as low as 17 thousand dollars a year.’”  (Michael Warren, “Kaine Won’t Say If He’ll Support Reid For Majority Leader,” The Weekly Standard, 10/8/12)

“Allen Charged That Kaine Was An Absentee Governor Who Spent His Final Year In Office Serving As President Obama's Chairman Of The Democratic National Committee.”  (Steve Contorno, “Allen, Kaine Clash In Second Debate,” The Washington Examiner, 10/8/12)

“‘How Does A Governor Decide To Take On A Second Job That Sends Him All Over The Country Giving Partisan Speeches’ During A Recession? Allen Asked.”  (Steve Contorno, “Allen, Kaine Clash In Second Debate,” The Washington Examiner, 10/8/12)