Two more Virginia papers endorse Deeds

Two major Virginia papers have backed Democratic gubernatorial candidate state Sen. Creigh Deeds one week after the Washington Post gave him their endorsement. 

The Virginian-Pilot from the southeastern portion of the state wrote that Deeds could carry the mantle of the state's two previous Democratic governors, Tim Kaine and now-Sen. Mark Warner.

 “He [Deeds] has supported the prudent budgetary management of Govs. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and promises to continue their sound policies," the paper's editorial board wrote. “Well before they arrived in Richmond, Deeds recognized the value of strong economic development programs and passed legislation modernizing the Governor's Opportunity Fund.”  

Kaine, who will leave office in January due to term limits, also serves as Democratic National Committee chairman. The paper's endorsement marks a reversal; in 2005 it backed McDonnell over Deeds in the state's attorney general race. 

The Roanoke Times editorial board praised Deeds saying “if the campaign is about who would better govern the state and face the extremely difficult choices the commonwealth must confront, then Democrat Creigh Deeds becomes the frontrunner.”

It added that “he is better prepared to position Virginia to meet the challenges of the future.”  

The Times also addressed McDonnell's controversial graduate thesis, in which he wrote that negatively about women in the workplace and nontraditional families. 

"Virginia voters should realize that, all his talk about jobs and the economy aside, McDonnell is an extreme social conservative," it wrote.

Though Deeds may gain positive momentum from the endorsements, he still trails McDonnell by high-single digits in most polls. Senior Obama administration officials told the Washington Post this week expressed frustration with Deeds for running a poor campaign and refusing to embrace the president until the waning days of the campaign.

Virginia is considered a key swing state. After voting for Republican presidential candidates in every election since 1964, Virginia picked then-candidate Barack Obama in 2008.