Transportation group endorses McAuliffe for governor

The Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance (VTCA), the trade association that represents industries that plan, design, build and maintain Virginia’s transportation infrastructure, today announced its endorsement of Terry McAuliffe for governor.

In addition, VTCA endorses 17 members of the House of Delegates for their re-elections.

The endorsements for governor are based on in-person interviews with and presentations by candidates of the two major parties and their written responses to VTCA’s questionnaire that focused on a variety of issues critical to VTCA members.  Those topics include investment in transportation infrastructure, the relationships between VDOT, the private sector and local governments, public-private business opportunities, and Virginia’s right-to-work and project labor agreements.

“Terry McAuliffe understands the connection between quality of life and a vibrant transportation infrastructure in the Commonwealth.  Investing in and properly managing our transportation assets is all about mobility, economic development, creating jobs, connecting communities, and public safety.  Terry McAuliffe gets that,  as demonstrated in his strong, visible support for Governor McDonnell’s bipartisan transportation funding bill passed by the 2013 General Assembly.” said Dan Clymore, President of the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance.

“We appreciate McAuliffe’s forthright answers to our questionnaire, where he expressed his support for preserving Virginia’s right-to-work laws, utilizing project labor agreements only where they are in the best interest of the builder and the Commonwealth, maintaining the current working relationship between local governments and VDOT, and selecting the highest qualified people to manage our transportation infrastructure,” said Rick James, Chairman of VTCA’s Legislative Committee.

VTCA, following tradition, did not interview or submit questionnaires to candidates seeking the office of Lt. Governor or Attorney General.

In addition, VTCA endorsed 17 incumbents in contested races for the Virginia House of Delegates whose recognition of the importance of a world-class transportation system for Virginia was matched by their political courage in supporting the 2013 bipartisan landmark funding legislation:

 

Delegate David Albo (R-Springfield)

·        Delegate Tom Rust (R-Herndon)

·        Delegate Ed Scott (R-Culpeper)

·        Delegate Danny Marshall (R-Danville)

·        Delegate Randy Minchew (R-Leesburg)

·        Delegate Jim LeMunyon (R-Chantilly)

·        Delegate David Yancey (R-Newport News)

·        Delegate Joseph Yost (R-Blacksburg)

·        Delegate Chris Head (R-Roanoke)

·        Delegate Ron Villanueva (R-Virginia Beach)

·        Delegate Mark Dudenhefer (R-Stafford)

·        Delegate Thomas “Tag” Greason (R-Loudoun)

·        Delegate Michael Watson (R-Williamsburg)

·        Delegate Mamye Bacote (D-Newport News)

·        Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Springfield)

·        Delegate David Bulova (D-Fairfax)

·        Delegate Roslyn Tyler (D-Jarratt)