Gubernatorial Hopefuls Trade Jabs at Jefferson-Jackson Dinner

"We must decide what our party stands for," Moran said. "Will our party be built from the bottom up or from the top down? Will our party be about public service or personal gain? Will our party be dominated by big money or those who raise it?

Moran's speech was the clearest signal to date that he plans to aggressively go after McAuliffe, a well-funded candidate who is already airing television ads in Richmond and Norfolk.

"We need a fighter, not a fundraiser," Moran said. "We need a governor who cares more about the family dinner table than the corporate boardroom."

McAuliffe, meanwhile, vows that he will not criticize Deeds or Moran during the primary campaign. He instead stressed his proposal to create jobs. He also made repeated attacks on McDonnell, saying he was too conservative for Virginia.

"My problem with Bob McDonnell is not that he's a Republican," McAuliffe said. "Bob McDonnell is a good man, but time and time again he has demonstrated that he has the wrong priorities for Virginia."

Deeds, who was the Democratic nominee for attorney general in 2005, used his speech to try to position himself as an alternative to McAuliffe and Moran.

"If you want a nominee who is part of that corporate CEO culture, then I'm not the candidate for you," said Deeds, who says he will fight for the middle class.

"If you want a nominee who is part of the partisan bickering that has paralyzed our nation for far too long, then I'm not your guy."