Not facing a primary challenge Tuesday, former Gov. and Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate Tim Kaine held a round table discussion with women in Newport News.
In what has become a signature for the Kaine campaign, he has held more than 50 round table discussions with various groups throughout the state since January, the former head of the Democratic National Committee laid out his economic plan as well as addressing concerns for women voters such as "wedge issues" like abortion and contraception and the Paycheck Fairness Act that failed to pass the U.S. Senate last week.
"The other side, they like to focus their attention on wedge issues," Kaine said.
He went on to say, "These wedge issues - they are not only wrong on the issues, but they're the wrong issues for us to be talking about when we need to be pulling together as a nation."
Emily Davis, spokeswoman for Former Gov. and Former U.S. Sen. George Allen who was in a four-way primary race for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination, responded by saying the real issue facing women is the economy.
"Women have seen the devastating effects of the failed Obama-Kaine economic policies," Davis said in an email reponse. "The poverty rate for women is the highest in 17 years, nearly 600,000 women have lost their jobs and many more have given up looking for work. George Allen will stand as a strong advocate for women struggling to keep their businesses and households afloat under the failed economic policies Tim Kaine championed in Washington."
Kaine also hearalded the federal Paycheck Fairness Act which would help ensure women, who on average receive 70 cents on the dollar for their work compared to men, earn the same pay as their male counterparts.
He said an important part of the legislation was making it legal for coworkers to discuss their salaries in order to compare them, despite many companies that have explicit policies forbidding employees from discussing their pay.
"Something simple and common sense like that, I just don't think it's that hard of an issue."
Kaine noted that Allen has not given a position on the issue in media interviews.
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