Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe received two more endorsements from Virginia Republicans on Friday. Maria Jankowski, the Vice Chairman of the Indigent Defense Commission and a current McDonnell appointee, and Bobby Beck, the founder of the Beck Company, both supported Governor Bob McDonnell in 2009, but joined “Virginians for McAuliffe” because of McAuliffe’s commitment to finding bipartisan solutions to the challenges Virginia faces.
Jankowski noted that she supported Republicans Jerry Kilgore in 2005 and Bob McDonnell in 2009, but said she is supporting McAuliffe this year “because he is the best choice in this race and has the leadership qualities, policy positions, and positive vision to lead Virginia for the next four years.” She also contrasted McAuliffe’s mainstream vision with Ken Cuccinelli’s “ideologically driven” and “rigid” approach to governing.
Beck noted that McAuliffe “has shown that he supports commonsense policies that will ensure that Virginia’s communities remain strong for ours and future generations” and referenced McAuliffe’s support for the bipartisan transportation compromise as an example.
Statement from Maria Jankowski:
“I supported and voted for Jerry Kilgore in 2005 and Bob McDonnell in 09, but this year is different. I am supporting Terry McAuliffe because he is the best choice in this race and has the leadership qualities, policy positions, and positive vision to lead Virginia for the next four years. Virginia is on the right track and we don’t want to take the wrong turn now. Ken Cuccinelli is clearly ideologically driven, rigid, and seems to be unable to appreciate the views of those who might disagree with him on important issues. Virginia can do better. I look forward to Terry McAuliffe leading Virginia in the next four years.”
Background on Maria Jankowski:
Maria Jankowski is an experienced attorney in Richmond with significant appointed experience serving in state government. In 2008, Speaker Howell appointed her to serve on the Indigent Defense Commission where she now serves as Vice-Chairman and chairs the Budget Committee. In 2013, Governor McDonnell appointed her to the Board of Medical assistance services. DMAS is the agency that administers Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in Virginia. Her career includes state and federal government service, including a year spent as a visiting attorney with the United States Sentencing Commission in Washington D.C.
Jankowski was born and raised in Hanover County and resides in Richmond with her family including her three children. She serves on Board of the Central Virginia Chapter of JDRF.
Statement from Bobby Beck
“As a Republican and a Virginia businessman, I am supporting Terry McAuliffe for governor because he will find mainstream solutions to the challenges our Commonwealth faces. Virginia’s economy faces headwinds with ongoing effects of sequestration, and we need a governor who will sit down with Democrats and Republicans alike to find ways to continue to grow our economy and create jobs in the Commonwealth. Certainly, Terry can work well with our two Democratic Senators in Washington. Mark Warner and Tim Kane were excellent governors of Virginia. While we have a Republican controlled House of Delegates in Virginia, we will likely have the same control in the Senate. Terry McAuliffe would be a good balance to decision making. Terry has shown that he supports commonsense policies that will ensure that Virginia’s communities remain strong for ours and future generations, such as the bipartisan transportation compromise, and his commitment to investing in workforce development programs through our community colleges.”
Background on Bobby Beck:
After a successful business career working throughout Virginia, Robert G. Beck founded Beck Company in 1970. Beck Company started with a 48-room property in Chesapeake, Virginia, and has since grown to 12 properties to include the Hilton, InterContinental, and Choice Hotel brands. Hotels that are owned or managed by Beck Company are located in the following cities throughout Virginia: Emporia, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, Newport News and South Hill.
Many of the Beck Company hotels and restaurants have been recognized and awarded achievements by their brands, and the company continues to grow with opening and management of new hotels. In 2007, the Fairfield Inn and Suites in South Hill, Virginia opened, and in 2008 Beck Company opened a second Hampton Inn in Harrisonburg, Virginia – the Hampton Inn – South.
Beck was a supporter of Republicans George Allen, Jerry Kilgore, and Bob McDonnell, and this is the first time he has endorsed a Democrat for Virginia governor.
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