Signer, Wagner vie for lieutenant governor nomination

By: | Inside NoVA
Published: June 07, 2009

Mike Signer and Jody Wagner may not be household names. But both want to be the party's nominee for Virginia's No. 2 job.

Although there have been debates and forums in recent months, the Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor have been overshadowed by the three-way prizefight for the gubernatorial nomination.

But that has not kept Signer and Wagner from running hard in recent weeks, racking up endorsements and taking swipes at each other and at Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, who seeks re-election.

Wagner, who served as secretary of finance under Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and as state treasurer under then-Gov. Mark R. Warner, has been endorsed by 49 of the 66 Democratic lawmakers in the General Assembly.

Recently, Signer, 36, of Arlington, was endorsed by Leslie L. Byrne, the Democrats' 2005 candidate for lieutenant governor. Signer also has been endorsed by 26 labor unions.

Wagner, 53, of Virginia Beach, lost a close congressional race in 2000 to Republican Edward Schrock in the 2nd District.

In this campaign, she has emphasized her seven years of experience in state government.

Wagner said the government needs to do more to encourage economic development, and that she would try to improve Virginia high school graduation rate.

"I believe we need a lieutenant governor who will continue the Warner-Kaine legacy of success," said Wagner, a mother of four and a lawyer who owns a gourmet popcorn business.

Signer, a University of Virginia law graduate and deputy counsel to Warner during his gubernatorial term, said he wants to reinvent the lieutenant governor's job: It should be that of a public advocacy, rather than a place-holder for those seeking to be governor.

"We can do much more to ride herd on government and agencies and be a people's representative in a system that is failing them too often," he said.

Signer, a newcomer to running for elective office, was senior strategist in the campaign of Democrat Tom Perriello, who defeated Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr., R-5th, in November.

He said more needs to be done for Virginia's veterans and that job creation is a priority for him.

Jim Nolan is a staff writer for Media General's Richmond Times-Dispatch.