Holton endorses Deeds for governor

Citing his transportation plan and his record of bringing people together to get results, Virginia’s first Republican governor of the modern era, Linwood Holton, today threw his support behind Sen. Creigh Deeds for Governor.

After greeting commuters at the Clarendon Metro Station in Arlington this morning, Sen. Deeds and Gov. Holton spoke about the need to find a bipartisan solution to the transportation crisis, while protecting other core services such as education.

“It’s an unbelievable honor for me to have the endorsement of the 61st Governor of Virginia,” said Sen. Deeds. “Gov. Holton is someone who is not bound up by rigid partisanship.”

During his term, Gov. Holton worked with Republicans and Democrats to improve transportation by developing the ports in Hampton Roads and widening U.S. Route 23 in Southwest Virginia.

Gov. Holton praised Deeds’ approach to transportation and said McDonnell’s plan contained “false promises.”

“Creigh Deeds has developed a plan that has been carefully enunciated and that is the most realistic plan of either of the two candidates,” said Holton. “The other candidate has proposed several false promises.”

“If you want to support the only approach that’s worked in the last 30 years,” said Sen. Deeds, “take a look at my plan.”

When discussing his opponent’s transportation plan, Sen. Deeds highlighted the damage it would do to the General Fund that supports education.

“$5.4 billion out of the General Fund, where is that going to come from?,” Deeds asked.

Linwood Holton was governor of Virginia from 1970-1974. During his time in office he put an end to racial segregation in Virginia public schools, appointed more women and minorities to positions in government and created the Governor’s Cabinet.