Va. Supervisor Wants Local Sensibilities in Richmond

Ask Sean T. Connaughton what he thinks of the state's politicians and he begins to fume. He says they have failed to pay for needed roads and schools in Prince William County, where he is chairman of the board of supervisors, and have let partisan bickering in Richmond block progress.

"I'm tired of it," said Connaughton, who is campaigning to be the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor. "The state has gone from being our partner to now being a hindrance to us."

Halfway into his second term as leader of one of Virginia's fastest-growing counties, Connaughton has pledged to bring his local-government sensibilities to the state's sprawling bureaucracies. A lawyer, he talks about stopping the state's politicians from "burdening" local governments with more responsibility.

The message is a convenient one, given that his opponent, Sen. Bill Bolling (R-Hanover), is a state politician.

"I see Bolling as part of the problem, not part of the solution," Connaughton, 44, said. "He's been down there 10 years and gotten nothing done."

The contest between the two men has been fueled by plenty of money -- each has raised about $1.5 million -- and by the efforts of two of the state's leading political machines. And it's gotten testy.

One recent Bolling television ad accused Connaughton of having a "liberal record of supporting higher taxes." A Connaughton e-mail took aim at "Bolling's Baloney."

Bolling accused Connaughton of supporting the tax increases that Gov. Mark R. Warner (D) and centrist Republicans pushed through the General Assembly in 2004.

Connaughton said he supported more money for his county but opposed the tax increases in light of the surging economy that was expected to generate more state revenue.

His transportation plan includes proposals to guarantee that the Transportation Trust Fund is spent exclusively on transportation while using budget surpluses to develop specific projects.

Connaughton is backed by U.S. Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.), whose Northern Virginia political operation is extensive. Bolling is supported by former governor James S. Gilmore III, who cultivated a statewide network of activists and supporters during his campaigns in the 1990s.

"This is a very interesting test of Tom Davis's ability to draw strong Republican support for a candidate," said Mark J. Rozell, a professor of politics at George Mason University. "If his candidate loses, people will naturally say Davis isn't quite the kingmaker he thought."