Race for Senate Seat Threatens to Be a Walk

Former Virginia governors Mark R. Warner (D), left, and James S. "Jim" Gilmore III (R) have sparred over their records and their positions on taxes, but the presidential race has overshadowed their Senate contest. (By Melina Mara -- The Washington Post)
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In driving home that message, Warner picked up endorsements from several Republican legislators.

Gilmore has run a traditional Virginia Republican campaign, railing against "liberals" on Capitol Hill while warning that Warner would end up being a reliable vote for Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) if elected.

This summer, when gas was topping $4 a gallon, Gilmore sought to base his campaign on boosting domestic oil production. He was one of the earliest promoters of the cry "drill now, drill here," which has become a common refrain for GOP candidates across the country.

Gilmore called for more offshore drilling and said he wanted to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.

Warner was initially hesitant to back offshore drilling. But he shifted his stance in July and said he would support it once the proper environmental standards were met. Warner remains opposed to drilling in the wildlife refuge. He instead wants to expand investment in alternative energy sources, such as solar and wind.

The candidates have also clashed over the war in Iraq.

Gilmore wrote an opinion piece in The Washington Post in summer 2007 calling on President Bush to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq. He now says that the "surge" that increased the U.S. military presence is working and that troops should remain indefinitely.

Warner said he wants to start bringing troops home in January, although he won't commit to a timetable for when the final soldier should leave Iraq.

On domestic issues, Warner has called for increased spending to repair highways, expand access to health care and develop a new energy policy.

To pay for the spending, Warner said, he would look for savings in other areas of the budget. He has also endorsed a tax increase on the wealthiest Americans, although he has not defined whom he considers wealthy.

Gilmore has vowed to oppose all tax increases and implement a spending freeze to try to reduce the deficit.

In recent days, Gilmore has also sought to gain an advantage from Warner's support for the government-funded $700 billion bailout of the financial industry.