Attorney general hopeful gears up for race, visits Danville

By Sarah Arkin

Published: November 20, 2008

As the 2008 elections settle down, candidates are gearing up for the 2009 Virginia state races. Republican Attorney General hopeful David Foster stopped in Danville on Thursday as part of his campaign launch.

Foster said he will bring “common sense conservative solutions” to the office.

An attorney who has served on the Arlington County School Board for the past eight years, curbing what he called wasteful spending and lawsuit entanglements, Foster is a longtime member of the Arlington County Republican Committee.

He has served on current Attorney General Bob McDonnell’s Internet Safety Task Force and said he hopes to continue that work while in office.

Internet crime, including identity theft, child exploitation and credit risk, is “one of the things I’m interested in fighting more aggressively,” Foster said during an appearance in front of the Municipal Building.

He said he also would like to see the attorney general have the power to investigate voter fraud.

Foster said his familiarity with Northern Virginia voters who tend to be heavily Democratic is an important attribute he brings to the table.

“We Republicans have lost statewide elections by six figures for several years now in Northern Virginia,” Foster said. “We simply have to be competitive there, among other places, to serve the commonwealth.”

Foster also has a unique tie to Southside, having served as council for the Danville headquarters of the American Textile Manufacturers.

“I know firsthand what kind of concerns we have here,” he said.

Contact Sarah Arkin at or (434) 791-7983.