In 2005, Democrat Creigh Deeds and Republican Bob McDonnell faced off in a race for Attorney General in Virginia. The contest ended up being the closest in the Commonwealth’s history, with McDonnell prevailing by just 323 votes. Fast forward four years, and these two candidates meet again; this time in the gubernatorial contest. And, with 25 days to go, it appears that McDonnell has the upper hand, though he hasn’t yet closed the deal with Virginia voters.
McDonnell had a free ride to his party’s nomination. Raised in Fairfax County, a suburb of Washington, McDonnell attended the University of Notre Dame on an ROTC scholarship, graduating in 1976 with a degree in management. After college, he was stationed in Germany and in Newport News where he was a medical supply officer. After leaving active duty in 1981, he went to work for the American Hospital Supply Corporation. Four years later, McDonnell returned to Virginia to pursue a master’s degree in public policy and communications at Regent University. He enrolled in the university’s new law school a year later while working
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