One of the most prominent Virginia newspapers decided not to endorse any of the three candidates running in the state’s gubernatorial race.
In an editorial published Sunday, the Richmond Times-Dispatch said it was endorsing “none of the above” in the race, meaning that Democrat Terry McAuliffe, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) or libertarian candidate Robert Sarvis will not get the paper’s backing.
“The words that follow should not come as a surprise. During recent months, numerous editorials in The Times-Dispatch have lamented the gubernatorial campaign,” the Times-Dispatch editorial reads. “The major-party candidates have earned the citizenry’s derision. The third-party alternative has run a more exemplary race yet does not qualify as a suitable option. We cannot in good conscience endorse a candidate for governor.”
The editorial goes on to explain why it did not pick each candidate. It says that Cuccinelli “rigged” the GOP nomination process by changing the system to a convention from a primary. For McAuliffe, the paper says he won the Democratic nomination “by default” because of a weak Democratic bench. It also says that while Sarvis “has neither embarrassed himself nor insulted the commonwealth” he does not have the experience to be governor.
The paper then goes on to criticize Cuccinelli for his stances on abortion and social issues and hits McAuliffe because his views “do not conform to Virginia’s history of fiscal restraint.”
The paper endorsed Mitt Romney for president in the 2012 presidential election.
The non-endorsement comes as McAuliffe widens his lead over Cuccinelli in recent polls.
