Kilgore says Kaine mocking his Virginia drawl

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Republican gubernatorial candidate Jerry W. Kilgore says Democratic candidate Timothy M. Kaine is making fun of his rich drawl in a radio ad running across Virginia.

Mr. Kaine, who is lieutenant governor, notes in the ad that Mr. Kilgore, the former attorney general, did not use his own voice on his own ad.

"If I have something to say, I'm not afraid to say it myself," Mr. Kaine says in the ad. "But Jerry Kilgore has been making things up about me and letting slick radio announcers do his dirty work."

The Kilgore campaign said they think the ad is a veiled reference to the Gate City, Va., native's accent.

Mr. Kaine "implicitly denigrates the way millions of Virginians talk," said Kilgore spokesman Tim Murtaugh.

"The message is clear: If you have an accent of any kind, Tim Kaine will make fun of you," Mr. Murtaugh said.

But Kaine spokeswoman Delacey Skinner said the ads are "absolutely not" targeting Mr. Kilgore's accent.

"The point is that Jerry Kilgore isn't speaking for himself," she said. "What real leaders do is speak for themselves."

Mr. Kilgore often pokes fun at his accent -- at an event Wednesday in southeast Virginia, he said he was glad he didn't have to bring a translator with him.

Miss Skinner said Mr. Kilgore is the only candidate in the race who has made fun of someone's accent -- "his own."