Goode, Perriello face off in Danville debate

The two congressional candidates for Virginia’s 5th District talked policy and traded pointed jabs in a packed and rowdy room Tuesday night at American Legion Post 325.

Incumbent Congressman Virgil Goode and Democratic challenger Tom Perriello stuck to the policies they’ve outlined this campaign season and also took sarcastic swipes at one another.

Taking the first question about what he could bring to a district where local officials praise the incumbent, Perriello referenced a number of surveys calling Goode one of the most ineffective members of Congress. He pointed to other members of the Virginia delegation who aren’t on the Appropriations Committee who have brought more home in earmarks.

“It’s about what more could have been done,” Perriello said.

Goode argued that surveys painting him as such were biased and largely had to do with the fact that there’s a Democratic majority in Congress.

“I have been very effective and it’s irritated some,” he said.

The Rocky Mount Republican said he’s done a lot for Southside Virginia, including helping to attract the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research.

As in past debates and stumps, Goode forcefully voiced his pro-drilling position, along with his support for alternative bio-fuels like switch grass. He defended a television advertisement that misused a quote from the Danville Register & Bee saying that Perriello was against offshore drilling and challenged the Ivy Democrat to outline his position.

Perriello said he supports offshore drilling, but that more attention must be paid to developing alternative energy. He highlighted energy independence as a key component of national security.

In terms of their plans for job creation, Goode said there had been more job creation in this region than any other locality in the nation and he hoped to continue that.

“We need to have (trade) agreements modified, eliminated and changed so that manufacturing jobs come back to America … because manufacturing is wealth creation,” Goode said.

Perriello said he’s come up with a seven-point economic plan for bringing more jobs into the region.

“It’s not enough to oppose these deals, we have to be making a generational investment in work force development and infrastructure.”

Perriello said the fair tax would mainly benefit those making more than $200,000 per year. He called it a “kick in the stomach to the working class and middle class” and said that priorities should be for tax cuts to the “middle class and small businesses.”

Goode defended the fair tax, saying it “all would be treated the same, you wouldn’t have to pay accountants or attorneys… our economy would boom and capital would flow into the United States.”

Echoing a past debate question, Chuck Vipperman asked each candidate to say one nice thing about the other.

Perriello said he hoped to continue the strong legacy of Goode and other congressmen of strong constituent services and the ability to get earmarks. Goode praised Perriello’s spirit and enthusiasm and saluted Perriello’s father Vito, who was standing in the back of the room, as a great physician who has helped many people.