McAuliffe to visit Culpeper Thursday

By Nate Delesline III

Published: January 14, 2009

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe is scheduled to host a town hall meeting in Culpeper Thursday.

Raven’s Nest owner Jessica Hall confirmed the event is set for 3:45 p.m. The coffee shop is located at 245 E. Davis St.

McAuliffe, 51, is a businessman, entrepreneur and active player on the political scene. He resides in McLean with his wife and five children.

According to a biography on his campaign Web site, at age 30 he was elected chairman of a struggling community bank that was on the verge of liquidation, and he turned it around. Later, he took over and saved a large home building company that was on the brink of bankruptcy.

McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2001 until 2005, cites bringing the party out of debt and expanding the use of technology to build the party ranks as some of his key accomplishments.

McAuliffe’s Jan. 7 formal campaign announcement makes the Democratic run for governor thus far a three-way race with former state Del. Brian J. Moran of Alexandria and state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds of Bath County. Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell is the only Republican running.
The Democratic nomination is set for June, and the general election is Nov. 3.

McAuliffe has said his campaign will focus primarily on bringing jobs to the state and improving the economy.