If any tourists came to Woodbridge's famed Dixie Bones at lunchtime Friday, they got an unexpected side of politics with their barbecue.
That's because Jim Webb, Virginia's senior U.S. senator, was there to stump for two fellow Democrats, Luke Torian and Del. Paul F. Nichols.
Nichols, a Lake Ridge lawyer, is in a tough race with GOP challenger Rich Anderson in the House of Delegates' 51st District. Torian, pastor of First Mount Zion Baptist Church near Montclair, faces Republican Rafael Lopez in the 52nd District.
Webb said it's crucial that Democrats continue to work hard for Nichols and Torian as Election Day approaches.
Volunteer efforts were a big factor in his defeat of then-U.S. senator and GOP star George Allen in 2006, he said.
"We have two candidates here that I'm standing here supporting," he told the crowd, which filled the eatery off of U.S. 1, "and I would like to urge you to support them and make the calls and do all the sorts of things that it takes, all the sorts of things it took in my race."
A few minutes afterward, Nichols used a short speech to again push his major initiative: extending Metrorail south to Prince William County.
The lawmaker said he can envision a rail system running along U.S. 1, past Marumsco and over to Potomac Mills.
"And not only will we have a real transit solution on board, but we will have economic development that we've never seen in this county," Nichols said.
Having Metro in Woodbridge could attract companies that employ upward of 1,000 workers and jobs that pay more than $100,000 annually, he said.
"We will put north Woodbridge on the map," Nichols said, "and we will have a place where we will be proud to go to."
Torian, for his part, encouraged supporters to vote absentee if they can't cast a ballot the old-fashioned way Nov. 3.
He said he was campaigning door to door Thursday when a woman called out his name.
"She said, 'I want you to know that I just voted for you. I'm going to be out of town, and I voted early,'" he said. "So if you plan to be out of town, please vote early. We'd like to get your votes early."
Staff writer Jonathan Hunley can be reached at 703-369-5738.<p>
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