And this round, obviously, goes to Bob McDonnell.  Simply put, McDonnell came with guns blazing and Creigh Deeds left his at home.

Here’s a video recap from McDonnell’s YouTube Channel, along with my comments on the debate below:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czm1YHFmDrU

McDonnell had a sound and strategic plan to get money back into Virginia’s transportation system and add jobs to the Commonwealth’s economy.  Deeds really had…well, NO plan to put it simply.

When asked how to fund transportation, Deeds’ answer was saying, albeit in a round about fashion, that new taxes would be proposed to bankroll the state’s ballooning cost of transportation.  He tried to refute the fact that he would raise taxes under the guise of “not knowing what the General Assembly would past next year.” McDonnell on the other hand touted a hefty plan of privatization and reorganization that spoke volumes on Bob’s preparedness to lead Virginia into the 2010′s.

Deeds was also mute on the issue of the cap-and-trade that he, and our state Senators Webb & Warner, have vocally supported and the subsequent fact that it would eliminate one of the largest and economically viable business in his district, MeadWestvaco. He elaborated that global warming was a top priority.  Ironically and as the debate was happening, I read about five new news articles on how scientists are now refuting the claims that global warming is actually happening.  Even more ironically, he’s saying this after one of the coolest weeks in Virginia in umpteen years.

Last, Deeds attempted to reem McDonnell on the fact that he didn’t “understand” rural Virginia.  I don’t think any thing could probably be further from the truth.  Rural Virginia is not an issue or partisan game, it’s simply a game of name/face recognition.  If you’ve lowered taxes (even if its every once in a while), and if you’ve voted for gun rights (the last two being the only reasons Deeds has gotten re-elected as many times as he has) and shake a man’s hand then you can be pretty sure you have his vote.  However, McDonnell’s pinky finger, it’s safe to say, has probably done more to help the “regular Joes” than Deeds has in his time in the state Senate.  On top of a hefty pile of accomplishments as Attorney General of upping security for children and helping put more violent offenders behind bars, he’s also supported commonsense conservative policies and laws as a member of the House of Delegates that speak volumes to the family-based communities in rural VA.

If you attempt to read any Democratic leaning blogs, you’ll find a lack of anything relating to Deeds’ progress but a pot-shot at McDonnell for saying that he agrees with some of Bush 43′s policy decisions. As far as I’m concerned, W. kept the country safe, taxes low, and the economy thriving…all points McDonnell was trying to make and all things that Obama has dropped the ball on  in the past six months.

I’m not going to elaborate much more on the specifics.  If you want more coverage, head over to Virginia Virtucon, Red NoVA, Too Conservative, or SWAC Girl, as they all had excellent coverage of the debate.