Government Shutdown Could Affect Virginia Race - POLITICO.Com 9/30/13 10:36 AM

Government shutdown could affect Virginia race - POLITICO.com 9/30/13 10:36 AM

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By JAMES HOHMANN | 9/29/13 1:17 PM EDT Message A federal government shutdown could be the October surprise of the Virginia governor’s race.

Democrat Terry McAuliffe tried Sunday to inject the looming possibility into the campaign, appearing at an afternoon press conference in Arlington with two liberal Democratic congressmen, Jim Moran and Gerry Connolly, to call on Republican Ken Cuccinelli “to condemn tea party Republicans for holding the federal budget hostage.”

But Cuccinelli already distanced himself from congressional Republicans in a debate last week, stressing that he does not want a shutdown (http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/ken-cuccinelli-terry- mcauliffe-debate-97374.html) .

The McAuliffe campaign believes it can, nonetheless, score points in vote-rich Northern Virginia, chock full of federal workers who would be directly affected by a shutdown at midnight on Monday.

They note that the Cuccinelli campaign has been in touch with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the symbol of brinkmanship over Obamacare, about appearing at a joint rally in October. And Cuccinelli is closely identified with the tea party wave that has propelled the showdown.

Meanwhile, the Republican’s campaign suggested in a Web video (http://www.cuccinelli.com/shutdown/) posted Sunday that McAuliffe might shut down state government if he gets elected and the GOP-controlled state Legislature were to refuse to expand Medicaid.

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“With the federal government on the verge of the first government shutdown since 1996 — an outcome that nobody wants — it’s important to remind people that Terry McAuliffe has repeatedly advocated for a shutdown of Virginia’s government in blind support of Obamacare,” said Cuccinelli spokeswoman Anna Nix.

McAuliffe said in last week’s debate he would not shut down the state government to force a Medicaid expansion.

Many involved in the race have believed the likeliest October surprise in the marquee contest of 2013 could relate to public developments in the ongoing federal investigation into gifts Gov. Bob McDonnell accepted from the CEO of a dietary supplements maker. This would hurt Cuccinelli, who accepted $18,000 gifts from the same donor — money he has since donated to charity.

But Cuccinelli seems to have caught a break on that front, with The Washington Post reporting (http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/in-mcdonnell-probe-charges-unlikely-before-virginias- november-election-sources-say/2013/09/28/3f5ca1d6-246f-11e3-b3e9-d97fb087acd6_story.html?hpid=z3) this weekend that federal prosecutors are unlikely to file charges against the term-limited Republican governor or resolve the case before the election. They continue to interview potential witnesses and review evidence.

Author: James Hohmann ([email protected] | @jameshohmann) Short URL: http://politi.co/18C7fmm

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