Virginia Candidates Push Hot-Button Topics From Debate

Kilgore focused much of his attention Wednesday on illegal immigration, saying to reporters that it is a drain on taxpayers and that it was one of the topics "you're going to hear . . . daily."

He said any Virginia business that hires illegal immigrants should be punished.

"Businesses are supposed to check on the legal status of workers," Kilgore said in a statement. "If businesses are knowingly violating the laws of the United States, they should not be rewarded with state contracts or be receiving state tax credits or benefits."

The issue of illegal immigration was the topic of a telephone news conference organized by Kilgore's campaign with Dels. David B. Albo (R-Fairfax) and L. Scott Lingamfelter (R-Prince William), who rebutted Kaine's remark in Tuesday's debate that Kilgore's position on the day laborer center in Herndon was "mean-spirited."

Lingamfelter said that supporting the day laborer center was akin to supporting "illegal activity" and that Kaine "missed that. He's turning a blind eye towards the problem."

Kaine's press secretary, Delacey Skinner, said that the Republicans had mischaracterized Kaine's position on illegal immigration and day laborer sites and that Kaine has said the establishment of such sites is a local issue to be resolved by local officials.

"As usual, Jerry Kilgore is distorting the record," Skinner said. "Tim Kaine has very clearly said that . . . he supports the prerogative of local governments to handle the challenges that they see in their communities."

She added that Kaine also would come down on businesses that hired illegal immigrants.

"If we discover that businesses are willfully violating immigration laws or hiring undocumented workers, they should not receive state benefits for that behavior," Skinner said.

Staff writers Annie Gowen and Michael D. Shear contributed to this report.