The candidates have both had long careers as lawyers. Deeds is the former commonwealth's attorney for Bath County and is now in private practice. McDonnell was an assistant commonwealth's attorney for two years and is now a partner in Huff, Poole and Mahoney in Virginia Beach.

Targeting the state's most populous regions, Deeds has announced plans to tackle Northern Virginia's gang problems and improve port security in the Hampton Roads area. He also has sexual predators, methamphetamine labs and identity thieves in his sights.

McDonnell has touched on all of those issues but lists his top priorities as fighting sexual predators, intensifying the war on drugs, improving the allocation of homeland security funds and protecting private property rights.

To combat methamphetamine labs, Deeds has proposed putting cold and allergy medications containing pseudoephedrine behind pharmacy counters and supports stricter penalties if the labs injure first responders or are located near a church or school.

He proposes increasing minimum sentences for drug dealers, implementing treatment programs for inmates and following them after their release, and expanding the state's Meth Watch program. He also said that existing drug prevention programs for children are ineffective and that new ones should be started.

Deeds said gangs have been the number-one concern he has heard from Northern Virginia voters. He was in Fairfax recently to announce his plan to combat gang activity in the region.

He supports a "three strikes" policy for people convicted of gang-related crimes-a third offense would get you life in prison. He also believes speedier deportation of illegal immigrants convicted of crimes will reduce the gang problem, though he acknowledges that the federal government is already leaving such people in state custody for months or years before they are deported.

He also would create a group of specially trained prosecutors to focus on gang-related crimes and supports additional gang prevention programs for youth.

McDonnell said he has already aided prosecution of gangs in Virginia by seeing bills through the House of Delegates' Courts and Justice Committee, like the one that allows prosecution of gangs under racketeering statutes.

Like Deeds, McDonnell sees a link between illegal immigration and gangs and believes improved coordination between local, state and federal officials would also be beneficial.

Deeds, who co-wrote "Megan's Law," is focused on improving the state's sex offender registry and using newer technology, like GPS, to track offenders.

McDonnell, who says his opponent "copied" him by discussing this issue, also supports the use of GPS and believes administration of the registry program could be improved. He also supports mandatory 25-year sentences for people convicted of raping a child under 13 and life imprisonment for those who are convicted of a second sexual offense against a child.

Deeds' supporters include the National Rifle Association, the AFL-CIO, the Virginia Firefighters, the Virginia Mine Workers and more than 40 commonwealth's attorneys and sheriffs.

McDonnell's supporters include the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce's political action committee, the Northern Virginia Technology Council, the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association, several state law enforcement groups and 12 former attorney generals.

This is cache, read story here