Kaine Left Wanting as Va. Budget Approved

Kaine's allies blame the failure of the legislature on transportation and the budget on the House GOP.

"The House Republicans may be running around claiming victory, but the people in Fairfax County and Loudoun County are still stuck in traffic," said Mo Elleithee, a senior strategist on Kaine's campaign who advised him during the legislative battles.

"It was the House Republicans who dug their heels in and said we're not going to play ball," Elleithee said. "That's something that Virginians are going to remember next year."

Other Victories

Kaine's advisers also hope Virginians will remember his other accomplishments.

They note his push for statewide teacher evaluations, a first for Virginia. And they say he succeeded in passing many smaller initiatives to improve health-care insurance for small businesses, fight price gouging and create a college institute in southwest Virginia.

Christopher Miller, president of the Piedmont Environmental Council, said Kaine's willingness to risk the ire of developers and engage the growth issue has led to a shift in tone in Richmond.

"These issues simply weren't discussed openly before," said Miller, who complained that under Warner it was hard to get phone calls returned. "He's been courageous, and that has enabled a lot of other things to happen. Very successful politicians have accomplished far less."

Del. Robert G. Marshall (R-Prince William), a political adversary who crossed party lines to work with Kaine on the growth issue, complained that the governor was not willing to take the risks necessary to see the bill through. Marshall said he devised a parliamentary maneuver to revive the effort in the Senate after it died in the House, but Kaine's staff declined to pursue the idea.

"He went to bat but left the batter's box before the final balls were thrown," he said.

Senate Minority Leader Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax) said Kaine -- through some difficult failures -- has learned a valuable lesson.

"He has learned . . . that when you're involved in high stakes poker, you better be willing to go all the way. Very few of us were. [But he's] a long way from fatally wounded."