DGA Statement on Gillespie Announcement

DGA Statement on Gillespie Announcement

The Democratic Governors Association released the following statement regarding the announcement by former top George W. Bush advisor Ed Gillespie that he is running for governor in Virginia.

“We welcome Ed Gillespie to run on his substantial record of helping George W. Bush drive the American economy into the ground and making millions as a lobbyist for companies like Enron,” said DGA Communications Director Jared Leopold. “By announcing a campaign for the Republican nomination for Governor, Gillespie has promised Virginians that he will pander to the Tea Party extremists who dominate the Republican caucus system. Republicans and Democrats will have serious questions about handing the keys to the Commonwealth’s budget to the chief cheerleader for the Bush’s economic plan that raised the national debt by 86%, gave favors to Enron and attempted to privatize Social Security.”

Republican party insiders have publicly said they expect a primary. Chris LaCivita, the 2013 campaign manager for Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, told the Washington Post earlier this week  hat “the list of Republicans running for governor of Virginia will be about as long as the list of Republicans running for president.”

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