Gov. Bob McDonnell has far from announced his intentions in 2016, but that hasn’t stopped a political committee from running an attack ad against the governor in Iowa, just in case he decides to run.
The Northern Virginia-based Patriot Super PAC -- which supports Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s gubernatorial bid -- released the ad to criticize McDonnell over his support for the massive transportation-funding bill that raises taxes.
"Sometime soon, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell may be in Iowa to test the waters for 2016," the ad says. "But don't be fooled. As a candidate, McDonnell promised Virginians he would never raise taxes. But as governor, McDonnell pushed the largest tax increase in Virginia history on retail, gasoline, property, cars, land and more. So if Bob McDonnell comes to Iowa, remember you can't believe a word he says."
IN OTHER NEWS:
* He may be a 2016 hopeful, but he still has a night job. Gov. O’Malley’s Celtic rock band, O’Malley’s March, is booked for two concerts the week before St. Patrick’s Day in Baltimore. (Washington Post)
* The death row population in Virginia is down to eight, with only two people receiving death sentences in the last five years. (AP)
* More than 10 percent of the ambulances in the District’s fleet are broken. (Washington City Paper)
* Maryland’s comptroller lowered tax revenue expectations for fiscal years 2013 and 2014 by $115.3 million because of lower-than-expected sales and use tax revenue being collected. (Baltimore Business Journal)
* Gov. O’Malley plans a trip to talk in South Carolina later this month -- an early presidential primary site. (Washington Post)
* Hybrid car sales nearly doubled in Northern Virginia from 2011 to 2012, with the number of hybrids in the area accounting for 83 percent of them in the entire state. (Fairfax Times)
* Cuccinelli’s performing a tough balancing act as attorney general and gubernatorial candidate. Is he neglecting the duties he was elected to do? (Washington Post)
* Maryland could be the first state to impose a 5-cent bag fee. (Washington Business Journal)
* Despite a surplus in 2012, District officials say that the forthcoming revenue isn’t exactly pretty, with the rising costs of government threaten to quickly outstrip the new revenue projections. (Washington Post)
* A bill to raise Maryland’s minimum wage to $10 an hour proved divisive in the Maryland Senate Thursday. (Maryland Reporter)
* D.C.’s historic Franklin School remains years away from being put to use. (Washington Examiner)
