Cuccinelli, McAuliffe, Sarvis Talk Politics at Candidate Forum in Annandale

With four weeks left until Election Day, statewide candidates running for Virginia offices continued making the rounds Sunday at a Minority Chamber Candidates' Forum at the Annandale campus of Northern Virginia Community College.

More than 200 people attended the forum, which is the first of its kind and was hosted by the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Asian American Chamber of Commerce and the Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce also sponsored the event.

Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-11th) delivered the welcoming remarks and Dr. Jim McClellan, dean of Liberal Arts at the Alexandria campus of NVCC served as moderator for the event.

Candidates who attended included: Virginia gubernatorial candidates Democrat Terry McAuliffe, Republican Ken Cuccinelli and Libertarian Robert Sarvis, Republican lieutenant governor candidate, E.W. Jackson and Republican attorney general candidate Mark Obenshain;  Democratic attorney general candidate Mark Herring; representatives and candidates for the Virginia House of Delegates Del. Eileen Filler Corn, (D-41st), Del. Vivian Watts (D-39th), Marcus Simon, candidate for the 53d District, Del. Ken Plum (D-36th), Del. Mark Keam (D-35th), Del Alfonso Lopez (D-49th), Del. Charniele Herring (D-46th), Del. Tom Rust (R-86th), Patrice Winters, Republican candidate for the 37th district; and Fairfax County candidates for sheriff Stacey Ann Kincaid (D) and Fredy Burgos (R).

Cuccinelli and McAuliffe traded remarks during the two-hour long forum, with Cuccinelli telling a crowd of about 200 people that McAuliffe was not qualified, according to WAMU. McAuliffe in turn accused criticized Cuccinelli for appearing at a fundraiser with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), WAMU reports. 

"It's the obligation of Virginians to send a message to Washington," McAuliffe said. "A government shutdown should never be a bargaining chip."

Read the full WAMU story.

Topics raised during the forum ranged from the government shutdown to health care to the economy. 

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