Staff Writer

For Democratic activist Steve Stone, an aura of "negative pessimism" shrouds the Virginia gubernatorial race.

A loyal supporter of Democratic candidate Sen. Creigh Deeds -- who, according to recent polls, sags nearly 10 points behind his Republican opponent, Robert McDonnell -- Stone admits that "the Democrats are in big trouble."

Yet that bleak assessment hasn't dampened the Fairfax resident's stalwart support for Deeds, a candidate he and many other Jews laud as a centrist lawmaker with the political chops to rescue Virginia from the brink of fiscal collapse.

"He's probably one of the most moderate candidates" the Democrats have selected in recent memory, said Debra Steppel, a Deeds supporter from Reston, who praised the candidate for his ability to distill a policy debate down to "what's best for the Virginia citizenry overall."

Issues such as the economy and a soaring rate of unemployment have received top billing throughout the race, but Jewish Democrats maintain that Deeds' stance on social issues -- such as reproductive choice and the separation of church and state -- could cement a come-from-behind victory.

Deeds supports a woman's right to choose, and voted against a bill allowing sectarian prayer at public events.

"When it comes to social views," McDonnell, on the other hand, is "far from the mainstream," Stone said, citing the former attorney general's deeply conservative views on abortion, an issue that commonly rouses liberal Jews.

Steppel, too, fears that the Republican would use his pulpit in Richmond to "push his [conservative social] agenda on everyone in Virginia."

In lieu of his controversial 1989 graduate school thesis -- an essay that characterized working women as "detrimental" to the traditional family -- Steppel said that McDonnell "does not seem to me to be the kind of politician Jewish women would" tend to back. Deeds, she added, has a "strong ethical compass."

Supporters, however, appear to be engaged in an uphill battle to overtake McDonnell, who, according to an Oct. 9 poll in The Washington Post, has made significant in-roads with voters in the traditionally liberal stomping grounds of Northern Virginia.

For his part, however, Deeds says he's fine with being called an underdog.

"I've been running as an underdog all my life," Deeds, 51, said Tuesday in an interview with WJW. "I lived in a trailer when I was a kid. I've been an underdog in nearly every election I've run, and I've managed to persevere."

And there is much to persevere against these days as the race winds to a finish, Deeds said, accusing his rival of waging a no-holds-barred advertising blitz to taint his reputation among voters. "All [McDonnell] knows how to do is attack."

Bad blood, however, has flowed both ways, with each candidate broadcasting a flurry of negative ads.

Asked why he's focused so much time and energy discussing McDonnell's 1989 thesis, Deeds said: "I've talked about social issues in this election because I think it helps explain why Bob McDonnell has never been focused on jobs until this election. He's never wrote a bill to create a job or expand an educational opportunity," but has instead authored legislation aiming to restrict a women's reproductive rights.

Yet some voters have grown weary of hearing about the thesis, saying that the ongoing ad blitz demonstrates a lack of substantive policy goals on Deeds' part.

"At first it did have an effect, but that has waned," said Shari Simmans Bolouri, a Republican foot soldier from Alexandria, who described the continued onslaught of negativity from Deeds' camp as "the tactic of a desperate campaign."

Policy-wise, McDonnell has blasted Deeds over the looming issues of transportation and economic revitalization. Right-leaning Jews also faulted the Democrat on similar fronts.

"He doesn't have a plan" to tackle the state's transportation issues, said Bolouri, dismissing Deeds' proposal to establish a bipartisan transportation committee after election day. The establishment of a panel, she argued, hardly amounts to much of a plan.

Yet, Deeds labels his tactic the most viable and "honest approach to transportation" available.

"I'm using the only appropriate [solution] to transportation that's worked in the last 30 years," Deeds said. "It involves more than just bringing people together. It's going to take leadership to bring the right people together and develop the right plan."

Certain guidelines will frame the discussion, Deeds said, explaining that he will push for a plan that is "long-term in scope," tackles issues on a statewide basis (rather than pitting "one part of the state against another") and is "creative" in nature. Pushed for further details, Deeds said that one possible solution to reduce traffic congestion would be to offer tax credits to entice commuters into taking public transportation.

On the economic front, Deeds emphasized the importance of the Virginia Israel Advisory Board, a state board that works to lure Israeli companies into Virginia. Though VIAB has faced significant budget cuts since the recession began, Deeds maintains that "the alliance we have with Israel is absolutely critical to our economic expansion."

This fact became abundantly clear to the veteran lawmaker during his first trip to the Jewish state in December.

"I came away really with an understanding of how we can invest economically" in the technology sector, Deeds said of the trip, which was sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. "There's capital and ideas in Israel that I think can benefit the economy of Virginia."

If elected, Deeds said he would work to increase VIAB's funding, as the board serves as an "important conduit" between Israel and Virginia.

Deeds also said he would support legislation mandating that the state divest from countries backing terrorists, such as Sudan and Iran -- at least in theory. The hypothetical divestment bill, he said, would have to be "constitutional" and meet "all the muster that I thought was appropriate." If the bill were up to par, he continued, "I would certainly consider, and probably, [sign it]."

Jerome Chapman, a Democrat from Alexandria, expressed confidence that Deeds' "honesty and straight talk" will ultimately resonate with voters. While political expediency often scores quick points with voters, Chapman praised Deeds for being above the partisan scrum.

Case in point: the JCRC's last Jewish Advocacy Day, where Chapman lobbied Deeds to vote against a controversial piece of legislation that would have permitted sectarian prayer at public events.

"I talked to him about it and he said, 'If I vote against it, I could get in trouble,' " likely with more conservative voters, Chapman recalled.

Following that chat, the bill was defeated in committee, thanks in large part to Deeds' decision to vote against the measure.

"I've seen him do this over and over again," Chapman said. "He understands that certain actions may be more popular [with voters], but he consistently votes based on what he believes is right and not necessarily popular."