Political arm of Fairfax County Chamber endorses McAuliffe for governor

Published September 26, 2013 by Robert Powell, III

The political action committee of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Democrat Terry McAuliffe for governor.

The Northern Virginia Business Political Action Committee (NOVABizPAC) also endorsed other members of the Democratic state ticket, state Senator Ralph Northam and state Senator Mark Herring, for lieutenant governor and attorney general, respectively.

The endorsements followed a televised gubernatorial race debate sponsored by the chamber between McAuliffe and Republican Ken Cuccinelli, the state’s attorney general and a former state senator from Fairfax County.

NOVABizPAC endorsed Republican Bob McDonnell in 2009 in his successful run for governor.

In a news release, the chamber said NOVABizPAC trustees voted to endorse Mr. McAuliffe “based on his pro-business policy positions and proposals.”

Jim Corcoran, Fairfax Chamber president and CEO and a NOVABizPAC trustee, cited McAuliffe’s support of McDonnell’s transportation funding legislation passed in the last General Assembly session and the Democrat’s backing of expansion of the Metrorail system to Dulles. 

“He has also vocalized his opposition to mandatory project labor agreements, and he has vowed to veto any attempt to chip away at Virginia’s longstanding right to work laws,” Corcoran said in a statement.

Cuccinelli recently picked up endorsements from the Northern Virginia Technology Council's TechPAC and the National Federation of Independent Business.