"BUENA VISTA - To Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tim Kaine and his statewide running mates, the upcoming election comes down to a choice between building upon the achievements of incumbent governor Mark Warner and reversing gains made during the past four years.

To Republican candidate Jerry Kilgore and his running mates, the campaign pits their advocacy of low taxes, unfettered gun rights and social conservatism against "extreme" Democrats who have supported tax increases and embraced liberal causes. And to independent Russ Potts, the campaign is about pulling voters toward a self-described underdog who wants to fix the state's "sorry" transportation system.

Those are the messages that Virginia's statewide candidates brought to Buena Vista on Monday morning, when they marked the beginning of the fall campaign season by marching in the city's annual Labor Day parade and speaking to boisterous partisans at Glen Maury Park. With nine weeks to go until the election, the candidates appeared to be fine-tuning themes that will dominate the remainder of the campaign.

Kaine, the lieutenant governor, cloaked himself in the popularity of Warner, the outgoing governor. The two Democrats briskly covered the parade route together, with Warner often plunging into crowds and saying, "This is my man Tim." Warner quickly sweated through his shirt on a mild morning as he ran from curb to curb to shake hands and promote Kaine's candidacy.

Before the parade began, Warner reminded Democrats at a party breakfast of the pivotal point in his administration - the 2004 passage of tax and budget legislation that enabled the state to increase spending for education, public safety and other essential services. The package included tax increases worth $1.4 billion in the current two-year budget cycle. But Warner insisted it was critical to preserving Virginia's perfect credit rating and stabilizing its budget structure. And Kaine never wavered in his support, Warner added.

"Tim was my partner from Day One of this administration," said Warner.

The governor hailed lieutenant governor candidate Leslie Byrne and attorney general candidate Creigh Deeds as allies of his administration. And he portrayed Kilgore and the rest of the GOP ticket - lieutenant governor candidate Bill Bolling and attorney general candidate Bob McDonnell - as obstacles.

Then Kaine followed Warner to the lectern and cast the election as a choice between advancing the governor's record and reversing it.

"We have come too far in the last four years to turn around now," Kaine said. "This is a choice of direction. There is a right way and there is a wrong way."

Kimberly Irwin of Rockbridge County said that Kaine's partnership with Warner is one reason she's supporting the Democratic candidate.

"He helped the finances in Richmond with the taxes and I think we need him to be the governor," Irwin said. She got Kaine's attention by waving a sign that read: "From Gate City to Buena Vista, We Vote Tim Kaine."

Gate City is the hometown of Kilgore, the former attorney general, who also found plenty of support in Buena Vista. At a Republican breakfast gathering before the parade, Kilgore said he was eager to defend his opposition to last year's tax package, which he called a "massive, unnecessary tax increase."

"Tim Kaine is proud of taking money out of your pocket and stuffing it into the government's overflowing pocket," Kilgore said.

Kilgore also emphasized his support for gun owners' rights, contrasting his A rating from the National Rifle Association to Kaine's F mark. That one issue was enough to appeal to Timothy Steger of Glasgow.

"Anyone that wants to keep my Second Amendment rights, I'm all for 'em," Steger said.

Kilgore, Bolling and McDonnell cast themselves as conservatives whose opposition to abortion and gay marriage and support for gun rights reflected the views of most Virginia voters.

Buena Vista resident Bob Breeden said Kilgore's views on social issues appealed to him.

"I vote for the man, not for the party," Breeden said. "Last time I voted for Governor Warner. He brought the state out of a financial crisis, but there are other social positions I'm more concerned about this year."

Potts, a Republican state senator from Winchester, embraced the role of scrappy underdog and appeared happy for the chance to briefly share a stage with Kaine and Kilgore on Monday. He drew boos from Kilgore supporters at Glen Maury Park when he boasted of his vote for last year's tax increases. But, shouting over the din, Potts insisted that the increases were necessary to adequately fund schools and to better compensate teachers and law enforcement officers.

"Shame on anyone who turns their back on Virginia and the core services that we so badly need," Potts said.

Potts said he wants to focus his attention on fixing Virginia's transportation system, which he called "the oldest, most decrepit, run-down system in America."

Potts was excluded from a July debate between Kaine and Kilgore and another debate scheduled for next week in Fairfax County. Potts hopes to qualify for a statewide televised debate next month, but he must reach the 15 percent mark in two independent polls to gain entry into the event. He has repeatedly criticized Kilgore for opposing his inclusion in the debates.

"If you want to be governor, you got to have the courage, you got to have the character, you got to have the principle to stand up here and face the music," Potts said. (Mike Sluss, The Roanoke Times, September 6, 2005)