Brian Moran (D)

About The Candidate

• Office Sought: Governor of Virginia
• Occupation: None
• Web site: http://www.brianmoran.com
• E-mail address: info@brianmoran.com

Education

• Marian High School
• University of Massachusetts at Amherst
• B.A., Framingham State College, 1982
• J.D., Catholic University, 1988
• Master's program, Suffolk University

Offices and positions held

• Chair, House of Delegates Democratic Caucus, 2001-2008
• Virginia House of Delegates, 4th District, 1995-2008
• Former member, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's health care reform task force
• Former member, Gov. Mark Warner's Secure Virginia Panel
• Former chair, City of Alexandria's Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee
• Senior Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney, 1990-1995
• Clerk, Arlington County Courts, 1989
• Member, Alexandria Kiwanis
• Member, Stop Child Abuse Now Advisory Board
• Member, Alexandria Bar Association
• Member, Alexandria Democratic Committee

Businesses Owned, Past Careers, Board Memberships, Etc.

• Private law firm, 1996-2009

What one policy change would have the greatest impact on bringing new jobs to the state?

Virginians are struggling though the toughest times we have seen in years. Now, more than ever, Virginians need a governor with a proven record of fighting for them. For 20 years, I've fought for the people of Virginia, helping build our economy from the bottom up, not the top down. My goal will be to keep the doors of the stores on Main Street open and invest directly in Virginia's hard-working families. My economic stimulus and recovery plan will help small businesses and entrepreneurs with tax credits and incentives, and create thousands of green energy jobs.

What are the factors dividing Northern Virginia from the rest of the state, and what can be done to bridge those divisions?

Mark Warner ran for governor to create "one Virginia," and as his partner, we helped bring opportunity to every corner of our Commonwealth. We cannot succeed as a Commonwealth by pitting one region against another. Intelligence and ability are equally distributed across Virginia, but investment and opportunity are not. That is why investments we make in transportation must be statewide and sustainable. That means passenger and high speed rail to reduce traffic, get people home on time and protect our environment. I've announced an innovation agenda that will create high tech jobs all over the state with good wages. I also believe we can deliver health insurance to every single Virginia child -- a child in Martinsville deserves health care just as much as a child in Fairfax. With a decade of experience, I can bring legislators from different regions together and build on our common needs. In my 200,000 miles of travel across Virginia, I have seen that we are more alike than we are different -- we face the same fears and the same challenges. That's why we need a governor who wakes up every day fighting for the people of Virginia -- no matter where they are from.

If the economy does not improve, would you cut money from the state education system?

Absolutely not. I have a long record of fighting permanent cuts to education and increasing funding. I was the chief partner to Mark Warner when we made the largest investment in public schools in Virginia history. That's why we were named the best state in America for a child's lifetime success. As a parent of two children in Virginia's public schools, I know that there is nothing more important than a good teacher in the classroom. That's why my plan raises teachers' salaries to the national average.

The economic, energy and environmental porblems in Virginia are tightly intertwined. What are some sacrifices Virginians should be prepared to make in order to address these issues?

I have faith in our small businesses and entrepreneurs. It was tinkerers in garages who brought us the information revolution, and it will be that same innovative spirit that will bring a green energy revolution. There is no area with more potential for innovation and entrepreneurship than at the nexus of energy, our economy and the environment. Together, we will reject the false choice between creating jobs and saving our environment and recognize the potential of new jobs that exist in green energy technology. I was the first candidate to say that a quarter of our energy must come from renewable sources like wind and solar. This will create thousands of green jobs by spurring investment in the small businesses and 21st century entrepreneurs who manufacture wind turbines and solar panels, retrofit our buildings and weatherize our homes. I am the only candidate to oppose offshore drilling and a new coal mega-plant in Surry County. We'll focus on offshore wind farms, not offshore drilling, because we cannot solve 21st century challenges with 19th century solutions.

Summarize a difficult problem you encountered that you were unable to solve, and discuss what you gained from that challenge.

Our Commonwealth's transportation challenges have frustrated Virginians for many years. We spend countless hours stuck in traffic, missing family dinners and our kids' baseball games. I worked with Govs. Warner and Kaine to achieve transportation solutions for our families, but time and again we were stymied by Republicans who thought that just saying no was a solution. After eight long years of a Bush administration in Washington that provided no help in this department, I am excited to finally have a real partner in the White House in President Obama. Fighting for transportation solutions in the face of Republican opposition has just made me more determined to achieve real results for Virginia's families. It has also convinced me that any transportation plan I put forward as governor will have to be statewide, sufficient and sustainable, because it will require grassroots support statewide.

What is the most urgent problem facing your jurisdiction?

Virginia's families need a leader who will fight for them. 300,000 Virginians have lost their jobs, and thousands more have lost their homes. Hundreds of thousands more worry they will be laid off or unable to make their next mortgage payment. These are the Virginians I wake up to fight for every day. As governor, I'll fight for an economic stimulus and recovery plan targeted at Main Street, not Wall Street, and a Homeowners' Bill of Rights to help Virginia's families stay in their homes. We will ban predatory and deceptive lending to protect the working families of Virginia.

Why should voters elect you?

Virginians need a governor who will fight for them. As governor, I partnered with and will continue the work of Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.