From the McAuliffe campaign:
Gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe was joined at a press conference this morning by area ministers in Hampton as they discussed their support for his campaign. Citing his commitment to Virginia families and Virginia values, good jobs and a good salary for every hardworking Virginia, a quality education for every Virginia child, and protecting those who are vulnerable with policies, such as a proposed ban on predatory lending, that set him apart from every other candidate, the group offered their enthusiastic support of McAuliffe's candidacy.
"The job that Terry's involved in, he gives it all his heart, and that's what we need here in Virginia," said Bishop Rudolph Lewis. "That's why I've been supporting him because I feel the same way about reaching out and touching people. The people that I believe he helps most are the people that we are trying to help."
Over the course of his campaign, McAuliffe has outlined a comprehensive business plan for getting Virginia's economy back on track and helping families to build a better future. McAuliffe's Business Plan for Virginia addresses the growing number of individuals who find themselves out of work, unable to afford their mortgage, or worried about paying for their children's education. That Business Plan outlines proposals to attract new jobs to the Commonwealth through a series of incentives and increases to the Governor's Opportunity Fund. McAuliffe has also put forth plans to encourage small, women, and minority entrepreneurs to create their own businesses, and to help those businesses thrive. Through proposals like the Scholars for Service program, McAuliffe would work to ensure that every student has the opportunity to access a high-quality education.
In addition to supporting career and educational opportunities, McAuliffe is the only candidate in the race to have proposed a ban on predatory lenders. McAuliffe has also pledged to institute new programs to help make small loans affordable, and to assist families in improving their financial literacy. When disaster strikes, McAuliffe will ensure that families have access to low-interest loans to help pay for health care, and will create a Commonwealth-funded revolving loan program to assist low-income homebuyers.
The ministers' endorsement follows closely the formation of Small Business Owners for Terry and their endorsement on Monday. The full list of those in attendance follows below:
See comments section for the list of ministers
