Clinton insider loses in Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. – State Sen. R. Creigh Deeds dominated Virginia’s three-way Democratic primary for governor Tuesday, defeating a much better-financed Clinton White House insider and a former legislative colleague.

The victory sets up a Deeds rematch this fall with Republican Bob McDonnell, who beat him in the 2005 attorney general election by 323 votes out of nearly 2 million cast – the closest statewide election in modern Virginia history.

Deeds took nearly 50 percent of the vote to 26 percent for Terry R. McAuliffe and nearly 24 percent for Brian J. Moran, unofficial totals showed.

McAuliffe’s political connections from his days as chief fundraiser for Bill Clinton and chairman of the Democratic National Committee helped him dominate press coverage and amass a hefty amount of cash in his first bid for elective office.

The indefatigable McAuliffe, who had campaigned statewide with the former president, told dejected backers the campaign was “one of the greatest experiences of my life.”