So reports The Richmond Times-Dispatch:
Howell spoke in response to a question about an amendment proposed by McDonnell that would prohibit Virginia’s health insurance exchange from providing coverage for abortion services.
[…]
“I’m hearing a lot of regrets from people who voted for the governor because they believed he was a moderate,” Howell told reporters following a committee meeting on redistricting today.
“And now they realize that he’s actually quite a zealot on social issues.”
Honestly, I’d like to meet one of the folks that thought McDonnell a moderate. Just because he managed to avoid social issues during the campaign doesn’t make him so. A lot of folks seemed to have been willing to overlook his social conservatism but a moderate? Hardly.
Now maybe some of those people who are thinking of putting him on the national ticket think he’s a moderate. But not in these parts.
As much as I disagree with the Governor on social issues, I would think he would appreciate his conservative credentials being burnished by Sen. Howell’s characterization 😉
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
I’d like to meet one of those folks too. I mean really, Creigh Deeds and the Democratic Party spent how many millions on TV commercials painting him as a social extremist? That was their entire campaign strategy and it obviously didn’t work.
I know a lot of those folks. Not everybody pays attention to statewide politics, or takes the time to research the candidates the way we do. McDonnell managed to pull off that sheeps clothing very well.
When I think of zealots, abortion clinic bombers come to mind.
Gov. McDonnell’s not out there like that. He’s a social conservative, sure…but nowhere near a “zealot.”
For whatever reason, maybe the biblical connotation, “zealot” does not seem that positive of a word.
Warner isn’t Scott Walker, but he also is not Jerry Brown. I am sure there are those who are happy about that, but in my opinion, McDonnell is not doing that good a job.
Must have Warner on the mind tonight for some reason.
Should have been:
McDonnell isn’t Scott Walker…..
Actually Mark, imo your statement would have been correct with either of the two.
Viv, I agree. McDonnell’s whole background in politics come out of the Christian Conservative movemnt. If you look at what issues he was involved in when he was in the House of Delegates that’s crystal clear. However, he did get away with running as a moderate on social issues. Well, he actually didn’t moverate his beliefs, he just didn’t talk about any of that stuff. It was “Bob for Jobs” not “Bob against same sex marriage and abortion.”