Mark Warner stumps at barbeque joint

It was more than just barbeque drawing a crowd at a Woodbridge eatery Wednesday afternoon.

More than 100 people, mostly democratic supporters, came to Dixie Bones barbeque restaurant just after noon to catch a glimpse of Mark Warner, the former Virginia governor now running to replace long-serving Republican John Warner in the U.S. Senate.

According to a campaign worker, Warner maintains a 24-point lead in the polls over his Republican rival Jim Gilmore, another former governor who served prior to Warner.

“You have not campaigned until you have stood on the Prince William Parkway holding a sign up to see if people give you a thumbs up or the middle finger,“ said Warner.

The candidate says Prince William will be a battleground, with Democratic supporters hitting the streets in force to get a win in November.

Warner lunched with fellow Senate candidate Gerry Connolly, who is now the Democratic chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. He is running to replace retiring U.S. Senator from the 11th district, Tom Davis, R-Va. Connolly says he is the only candidate who would fight to protect Northern Virginia.

“Transportation, transportation, transportation,” said Connolly, when asked about key issues facing Prince William voters. “Whether it is expanding capacity on roadways or extending Metro rail on [Interstate] 66 or down to Potomac Mills, we need to look at these options.“

Connolly sat behind Warner while he talked about economic issues, healthcare, education and importing foreign oil, talking points Warner has delivered at campaign stops across the state.

“We need to stop spending $700 million to buy oil from countries who don’t like us,“ Warner said.

Warner said the country also needs a 30-year plan to address its crumbling infrastructure, a point he said Barack Obama has widely ignored during his presidential campaign.

He proposes adding more rail transit options for the state, something he campaigned on while running for governor in 2001.

It was the sluggish economy, not trains that weighed heavily on the minds of many sitting at the lunch tables.

“The Democrats need to be more aggressive about getting across to Main Street,“ said Gail Vercauteren, an Occoquan resident who supports some type of congressional economic bailout bill.

Warner addressed their concerns and said he supports a federal economic rescue bill, and hopes one would be passed by the end of the week.

“I’m not happy [about the bailout bill] but I have to have faith that something or something is right, and if they’re not, the politicians should all resign,“ said Vercauteren.

Staff writer Uriah Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.