Candidates make last visits to the area

The GOP used a broom, and the Democrats a flu-addled U.S. senator, but both parties were looking for one thing as they traveled to the Prince William area over the past few days:

Your vote today.

The broom came from Ken Cuccinelli, father of Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, the Republican state attorney general nominee.

A sign was taped to it that said, "McBollinelli," spelled out vertically: the "Mc" for GOP gubernatorial nominee Robert F. McDonnell, the "Bolli" for incumbent Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and the "nelli" for Cuccinelli.

"This is the official, as declared by me, 'McBollinelli' sweep broom," the younger Cuccinelli said, holding it aloft before a crowd in Bristow on Monday, "and we aim to put it to work tomorrow night if you all can help us finish this out."

About 225 people packed into the former site of a Gymboree children's store at the Bristow Center strip mall to see the Republican statewide ticket.

Near the beginning of a speech by McDonnell, one eager supporter hollered out, "Jobs. Jobs. Jobs. Bob's for jobs."

"Hey, don't be giving my speech back there, please," the candidate responded.

"Listen, this election really is about jobs," he continued. "It's about economic opportunity."

Most polls have the former attorney general comfortably ahead of his rival, a state senator from rural Bath County.

But, at a stop in Woodbridge on Friday, R. Creigh Deeds said he's not worried.

"I will tell you: I grew up in a trailer," the Democrat said before a crowd at the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant. "If I was going to get discouraged, I would have been discouraged a long, long time ago."

And that flu-addled senator? That was Democrat Mark Warner, who came to Cheeseburger to stump for Deeds and for House candidates Luke Torian and Del. Paul F. Nichols.

"I got the flu," Warner said. "And if I get myself out of bed to come here, to be here, for Creigh Deeds, I don't want to hear any excuses about not everybody getting out for Creigh Deeds, Luke Torian and Paul Nichols on Tuesday."

Torian faces Republican Rafael Lopez in the House of Delegates' 52nd District. Nichols represents the 51st District. He's challenged by Republican Rich Anderson. The two districts take in most of eastern Prince William County.

Bolling, the only statewide officeholder seeking re-election, faces Democrat Jody Wagner.

The Democratic nominee for attorney general is Steve Shannon, whose House district in Fairfax County actually overlaps somewhat with Cuccinelli's state Senate district.

The GOP event in Bristow had the feel of a high school pep rally, complete with several chants of "Go, Bob, go," and lots of sports metaphors.

Short talks by McDonnell, Bolling and Cuccinelli were interrupted several times by applause, as if they were Election Night victory speeches, noted Lyle Beefelt, chairman of the Prince William County Republican Committee.

"I've never seen intensity like this," said Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter, a Woodbridge Republican who went unopposed this year.

McDonnell thanked Beefelt and local volunteers such as O.P. Ditch and Thomas J. Whitmore for their work in the county, and Cuccinelli saluted one of his supporters, Prince William Sheriff Glendell Hill.

Reached by phone Saturday, Deeds said turnout was higher than he expected in Woodbridge and in a stop later Friday at City Tavern in Manassas.

However, it did take the Democrats 75 minutes to get from Falls Church to Manassas in rush hour.

"It reinforced in my mind the need for real transportation solutions," Deeds said, adding that gridlock is "such a deterrent" to quality of life in Northern Virginia.

Staff writer Jonathan Hunley can be reached at 703-369-5738.