Va. GOP Assails Kaine on Sex-Ed

When asked about Stosche's remarks, Kaine said: "I don't need to respond to what some Republicans say. All I need to do is be an effective governor."

In his 2005 bid for governor, Kaine campaigned as a moderate who supported some restrictions on abortion, opposed same-sex marriage and would enforce the death penalty.

Since taking office, Kaine has embraced part of the social conservative agenda, such as allowing public school buses to transport students to private and religious schools.

But he has taken a progressive approach on other issues.

In 2006, he refused to sign a bill placing a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage on the ballot, a symbolic gesture because his signature was not needed for the referendum to go forward. He said that he still believes that marriage is between a man and a woman but that the referendum proposal -- which passed easily last year -- went too far and would affect contracts between unmarried couples.

This year, Kaine vetoed three bills to expand the use of the death penalty. In recent weeks, Kaine has come out in favor of proposals to make it harder to buy a weapon at a gun show without a background check.

Because groups such as Planned Parenthood helped several Democrats win election this month, Kaine might find himself under even more pressure to embrace a progressive agenda. But House Republicans would probably block such efforts.

"I think as far as the Senate is concerned, these organizations and groups will probably find it's more friendly," said Sen. R. Edward Houck (D-Spotsylvania). "But we are only half of the equation."

A GOP-controlled House and a Democratic-controlled Senate will probably mean that most legislation dealing with social issues will die in the General Assembly before it reaches Kaine's desk.

Even so, conservatives now feel on the defensive.

"Am I concerned? Absolutely," Bolling said. "One of the things that have tended to moderate this governor . . . is the fact there were majorities of the General Assembly with different philosophies."

But others predict it won't be easy to attach an ideological label on Kaine.

"Sometimes he is willing to let the political chips fall where they may, but other times he is quite savvy," said Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor. " You can't typecast him."