Va. GOP Calls Kaine Agenda Partisan

Governor's Speech Asks Divided Assembly To Put Aside Differences

RICHMOND -- Gov. Timothy M. Kaine walked into the state Capitol on Wednesday and signaled to Virginia legislators that it was time to put aside any hard feelings from the November election, when Kaine helped Democrats regain control of the Senate and pick up four seats in the House.

"We should put our constituents before our political parties, before our campaign donors, before ourselves," Kaine (D) said at the start of his annual State of the Commonwealth address.

But as Kaine delved further into his 41-minute speech, some Republicans said they grew increasingly infuriated as he outlined his agenda for the rest of his term.

They said that instead of offering bipartisanship, Kaine was laying the groundwork for weeks of partisan battles over the budget, illegal immigration, gun control, transportation and a proposal to ban smoking in restaurants.

"Kaine the governor and Kaine the politician are not two different people," said Del. Terry G. Kilgore (R-Scott).

As Kaine enters the midpoint of his term, he has often sought to portray himself as a consensus builder interested in solving problems. But Republicans say Kaine is the most partisan governor in recent memory, putting his party first. Democrats say they are just trying to govern a rapidly changing state that is moving away from many conservative principles that have defined it for decades.

The GOP's reaction to Kaine's speech will not only have an impact on this year's legislative session but also on future elections.

The governor defended his approach in an interview.

"I think the electorate is an independent electorate. Independent people aren't interested in a sound bite or party line," Kaine said. "What they want is the result. . . . That has enabled me . . . to be successful in elections. But Democrats don't have a monopoly on that."

Republicans say Kaine is trying to force them into making tough votes on controversial issues to bolster Democrats' chances of winning elections, prompting the GOP to get even.

In a move some Democrats said was punitive, House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) reassigned several Democrats to new committees, including House Minority Leader Ward L. Armstrong and Del. Brian J. Moran (D-Alexandria), chairman of the House Democratic caucus.

Moran and Armstrong will now sit on the Finance Committee, where they will have to vote on whether to approve tax increases. Howell also assigned Moran to the Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee, where he will be forced to vote on gun laws at the same time he is preparing to enter the race for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2009.