George,

You had asked me to comment on Creigh Deeds and his candidacy. When I first heard of his candidacy, I must admit that my first reaction was along the lines of "Where does he (or the state party, or a small group of party insiders, or whoever) get off telling us what we need to do to in this special election? How will someone from over the mountains ever be able to represent Charlottesville/Albemarle and our unique needs? Over the last 10 days, I have spent a fair amount of time speaking with Creigh, on the phone and in person, and have come to conclude that he is a terrific person, has a distinguished legislative record, is much more progressive than I ever expected, has tremendous energy, is genuinely concerned about how he can reach out to our area to provide effective representation, and is poised to play a leadership role in the Senate and in the Commonwealth in the years to come.

I was most encouraged about the issues he feels are important, and where he has exercised leadership in the House. I was aware of his leadership in pushing the constitutional amendment on hunting and fishing, frankly not one of my priorities, but, as Mark Warner proved, an issue that is important to address for Democrats with rural constituencies. But I was surprised to hear his support and advocacy of progressive positions on a wide range of issues that should resonate with local Democrats. He is much more prochoice than I initially expected. His support for education is clearly documented during his years in the House, and his willingness to serve as a champion for the University of Virginia and higher education as the catalyst for creating good jobs throughout the Commonwealth will serve us well. I was also heartened by his understanding that preventing sprawl can only occur if we pursue a dual track strategy that bolsters urban areas while conserving rural farms, forests, and open spaces. He has supported using a dedicated source of income, the state recordation tax, as a vehicle to fund more rural conservation. His work on the environment won him awards from the Nature Conservancy and other groups. He has broad support within labor, something he will need in a short election where organization is everything. He also understands the need for a balanced transportation network where roads are only built in response to community needs, where mass transit and public transportation need more support, and where VDOT ought not to be able to dictate transportation solutions to localities.

Beyond his tremendous substance in the issue arena, I have been very impressed by his style and energy. He clearly evidences, in his personality, the ability to relate to a wide variety of citizens. His success in the House proves he has the skill to negotiate the political landscape in Richmond. And does he have energy! All you needed to do was to watch him in the forum and at the convention-and realize all the driving he has done over the last week or so. It will take tremendous energy to win this election-and to represent this district. And he has it.

As you know, I did not endorse any candidate during the nomination process. I have served with Meredith Richards for almost six years and you could not ask more from a councilor in terms of time and energy she has expended on behalf of the city, serving on a large number of local and state boards where she contributes greatly to our understanding of state and local issues and advocates for the city in diverse forums. I have worked with Nancy O'Brien on the Planning District Commission, and have frequently watched in awe at her skill in bringing together legislators and policymakers from very diverse perspectives to reach common understanding that will better their respective communities. And I continue to gain more and more respect for Al Weed and his insightful analyses of the issues, his willingness to intellectually engage the debate, and his challenge to all of us to push the envelope of change for sake of the future. The nomination process was greatly enriched by their presence.

Now, it is time to pull together. We only have a short window, and we must work hard to keep this seat. I am ready to go, and trust all good Democrats will find the time to make December 18 another Democratic victory.

David J. Toscano (electronic mail, November 12, 2001).

P.S. Nancy, Matthew, and I also want to take this opportunity to thank those who were so complimentary and encouraging of my consideration to seek this seat and so supportive of my reasons for ultimately choosing not to enter. I have never regretted this decision and our candidate only makes it feel better. Thanks again.