WDBJ7 - Warner and Gillespie meet in first debate of U.S. Senate campaign

News Article

A pointed exchange highlighted sharp differences between the Democratic incumbent and Republican challenger

By Joe Dashiell

Mark Warner and Ed Gillespie met with a handshake and a hearty laugh, but harsh words weren't far behind.

Less than one minute into Gillespie's opening statement, the Republican challenger was tying Warner to what he described as the job-killing policies of the President.

"In voting with President Obama 97 percent of the time," Gillespie told the audience, "he's not been the Senator he said he would be."

Warner responded in kind, describing Gillespie as career lobbyist and political operative, who views everything through a partisan lens.

"He even went on TV and called himself a partisan warrior. His words, not mine, " Warner said. "The last thing Washington needs is another partisan warrior."

The candidates traveled to the Greenbrier, where the Virginia Bar Association was holding its summer meeting.

They kept their cool in a polite but pointed debate, with the sharpest exchange coming near the end when the two clashed over abortion and the rights of an unborn fetus.

"Did you not also support a personhood amendment," Warner asked? "No," Gillespie responded, "when did I support a personhood amendment?" "We'll give you the documentation," Warner countered.

"Would you vote to overturn Roe v. Wade," Warner continued. "There's not going to be a vote to overturn Roe v. Wade," Gillespie responded. "That's a Supreme Court decision. I'm running for the Senate, Senator."

Both campaigns quickly claimed victory. Virginia Tech Professor and WDBJ7 Political Analyst Bob Denton said both men were successful.

"They showed knowledge, competency, and there were no major gaffes," Denton said. "I think it's going to be hard to find what we used to call one of those magic moments in the debate. This was two well-seasoned individuals. And I thought it was a substantive debate."

Libertarian Robert Sarvis wasn't invited to participate. He said Virginian voters were the losers, with Warner and Gillespie offering "little more than spin, prepared talking points and personal attacks."

"A recent poll showed that 68 percent of Virginians say our country is on the wrong track," Sarvis said in a written statement after the event. "They deserved a better debate than what Mark Warner and Ed Gillespie gave them. Make no mistake, a vote for either is a vote to keep America on the wrong track."

The candidates haven't agreed on any additional debates, though we expect at least two more between now and election day.

Source