STATEMENT FROM VIRGINIA CO-CHAIR CHRIS SAXMAN ON PUSH POLLING

Chris Saxman, Virginia Co-Chair for the McCain campaign, issued the following statement today in response to push polling being conducted in Virginia by Common Sense Issues, a 501 (c)(4) organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado:
"As Mike Huckabee's backers have done in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and elsewhere, the McCain campaign in Virginia has received numerous reports of push polling in the Commonwealth. According to these reports, including one I personally received from my mother, these negative attack calls attempt to distort John McCain's conservative record. It is time for Mike Huckabee to accept responsibility for these despicable tactics, take a stronger stand against them and help unite the party as many prominent GOP leaders have done.
"Mike Huckabee has spoken publicly about his desire to run an honest and positive campaign. Sadly, these attacks continue. Virginia Republican candidates received some of the most negative attacks from Democrats in the state legislative races last year and one thing is for certain -- Virginians are sick and tired of negative campaigning.
"The fight for the Republican nomination is all but over. There is no path to victory for Mike Huckabee, yet his supporters continue to attack John McCain, a man Governor Huckabee says, '... is a hero in this country and a hero to me.' If Mike Huckabee truly believes John McCain is a hero, and cares at all about the future of our Republican Party, he needs to take responsibility for shutting down these negative assaults. The sooner our party is united behind our eventual nominee, the better off we will be to face the onslaught from MoveOn.org and the Democratic Party."