“At meet-and-greets from small-town Leesburg to exurban Manassas to far-south Martinsville, he douses voters in an ebullient rain of proposals… McAuliffe’s ideas may be hard to beat.”

– The New Republic, 2/4/09

“In the midst of a daunting travel schedule and after releasing truly ambitious business and energy plans for the Commonwealth, he still maintains an energy level that those of us ten years younger would be hard pressed to match.”

– The Loudoun Independent, 4/1/09

“McAuliffe is rolling out a series of position papers on energy and business that go well beyond the typical two-page brochure full of bromides…his substantive pitches have raised expectations and pointed the way toward a different, more high-toned campaign.”

– Richmond Times-Dispatch, 3/25/09

“Although many State House insiders were initially skeptical of McAuliffe, he has been running a nearly flawless campaign. Democrats and Republicans are taking him seriously.”

– The Washington Post, 1/22/09

“Terry McAuliffe can get through to the (rural) culture. Like I said, he’s got a positive attitude. Terry’s also got high name recognition amongst Democrats who will vote in the primary. And McAuliffe is a good name to have out here where I live.”

– Dave “Mudcat” Saunders, Political strategist for Mark Warner and Jim Webb, 3/25/09

“Terry McAuliffe continues to impress – rolling out a detailed plan to revive the Virginia economy and picking up labor endorsements, the latest of which came from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.”

– The Washington Post, 4/3/09

“He brings a kind of energy and visibility and presence that’s just extraordinary.”

– Bob Holsworth, professor at VCU, 2/4/09

"I have attended a lot of campaign kick-offs in my 15 years covering politics in Texas, Mississippi, and Virginia. But, I have to say that this was the most impressive event I have ever witnessed from a statewide candidate. . . . McAuliffe hit a home run."

- Jay Warren, WSLS Anchor in Roanoke, 1/8/09

"McAuliffe Winning Over Virginia Netroots. . . . That McAuliffe is turning heads among Virginia's progressive bloggers is both something of a surprise and a not-inconsequential development in the 2009 race. The state's blogging community played a major role in helping propel Jim Webb to his current Senate seat"

- Huffington Post, 1/15/09

"McAuliffe's entrance raises the bar for every candidate and not just financially. . . . McAuliffe will compel all his opponents to put forward real ideas and genuine plans that can be compared and contrasted.”

- Dr. Bob Holsworth, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1/7/09

"McAuliffe's dynamic performance . . . suggests he would rate as a strong contender not only in the nomination contest but in the general election."

- Richmond Times Dispatch, 11/13/08

"McAuliffe came prepared -- both to combat criticism and to exhibit his command of Virginia facts and figures. He easily rattled off statistics about how many hours Virginians spend stuck in traffic each year, how many poultry farmers work in the state and how many people are unemployed in one of its most financially distressed cities, Martinsville."

- The Washington Post, 12/3/08

"I had my doubts about Terry McAuliffe being electable (or, for that matter, a serious candidate), but after hearing him tonight, I can say with confidence that Terry McAuliffe would make an excellent governor."

- Neal Osborne, New Dominion Project, 1/9/09