Webb: Democrats Will Take Back House, Senate

By Tim Craig
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 6, 2006 3:52 PM

ROANOKE, Nov. 6 -- U.S. Senate candidate James Webb kicked off his final campaign swing through Virginia this morning, telling supporters he is on the verge of a huge win that will help guarantee the Democrats control the Senate next year.

At a rally at a century-old fire hall in downtown Roanoke, Webb railed against President Bush's economic policies and the decision to invade Iraq. He also expressed confidence that the Democrats would prevail tomorrow.

"We're going to take back the House of Representatives. We're going to take back the Senate and with your help on Wednesday morning we're going to put the country back on the track it needs to be on," Webb told about 100 supporters in Roanoke.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) and former Gov. Mark Warner (D) joined Webb, who is appearing increasingly convinced he can beat Sen. George Allen (R). The governors and Webb also spoke at a rally in Norfolk before heading to Richmond. He will end his nine-month bid for the Senate at a rally this evening in Alexandria featuring former president Bill Clinton.

"I have a feeling we are going to win big," said Kaine, who referred to Webb as "Senator Webb" a few times today.

Webb, who trailed Allen by 16 points this summer, is now virtually tied with Allen in several recent polls and the race is one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country this year.

"This race was suppose to be a cakewalk," for Allen, Warner told the crowd. "But we have all the momentum. We are going to turn out and take back our United States Senate seat tomorrow."

Webb said of Allen, "This is somebody who should have run on his issues. But apparently he doesn't have a record to run on."

In Roanoke and Norfolk, Kaine revved up the crowd by asking, "Are you ready for a change?" -- which Webb campaign officials say is their closing argument as they try to unseat Allen.

"We got momentum because Virginians are not dumb and they are not stupid," Kaine in Norfolk. "Democrats know how to run things . . . and we got a great candidate."

Webb could get a late boost from a third candidate in the race, Gail Parker, the Independent Green Party candidate. Parker, who is receiving about 2 percent of the vote in recent polls, holds conservative views on many issues but she is running as the only advocate in the race for a high-speed rail service between Virginia cities.

Parker said last week she was considering dropping out and endorsing Allen or Webb. She later changed her mind, but she attended Webb's rally this morning in Roanoke.

"I'm here today to offer support, encouragement and to say if folks can't vote for us because we are too conservative then, for goodness sakes, vote for positive change," Parker said.

In his closing stump speech, Webb is highlighting his early opposition to the war in the Iraq, the need to close the gap between the rich and the poor and, as he says, "standing up to this president."

"We need accountability," said Webb, who spent the weekend campaigning in the mountain towns of southwest Virginia.

Webb also accused Allen of misrepresenting his positions on illegal immigration, taxes and same-sex marriage. Webb told the crowd he opposes amnesty and wants to crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants. He said opposes raising taxes on "wage earners" but wants to close corporate tax loopholes.

On same-sex marriage, Webb said he personally opposes gay marriage. But Webb added he will vote against a proposed state constitutional ban gay marriage on the ballot tomorrow, calling it "a bad amendment."

But Warner and Kaine zeroed in on Webb's background as combat veteran in Vietnam and secretary of the Navy.

Referencing how Webb has a 24-year-old son serving in the Marines in Iraq, Warner said, "We've got someone who not only talks the talk, but walks the walk."

"He is the real deal," Warner said.

Kaine referenced Webb's nonfiction novels that outline the horrors of war, which Allen has been critical of because they included some sex-laced passages.

But Kaine said policy makers "would be making better policy if people in Washington really read his books and understood these things."

In Roanoke, Democratic activists say they are energized and will be working hard to get out the vote in the normally conservative Shenandoah Valley.

Kate Berding, 50, of Roanoke, said she has been making hundreds of phone calls in support of Webb in recent weeks.

"From the calls I make, we've got it," Berding said. "People want change."

She also pointed to the letters to the editor in this morning's Roanoke Times. Every letter was either supporting Webb or critical of Allen. The page also included a message from the paper's editors, which said they would have liked to run a pro-Allen letter but they hadn't received any in several days.

"We know what we want to do," Webb said when he arrived at Norfolk's airport. "We want to bring enormous leadership to Washington. We've been talking, debating and now its time to get out of the vote."