Four daily newspapers serving the commonwealth have made an endorsement in the Virginia Democratic primary for Governor, and all four choose Sen. Creigh Deeds.

The latest is Staunton’s The News Leader:

It will be to every Virginian’s favor if Deeds wins the primary.

We endorse Deeds for the nomination for many reasons: He’s a bonafide supporter of getting the state’s transportation issues fixed, once and for all; he won’t waver on controversial issues, but instead speak his mind; and he has carried the values of his Bath County upbringing to Richmond since 1992, first as a delegate, then as a senator.

They are values that matter, such as honesty, forthrightness and steady and consistent service.

Deeds has been committed to bringing about a bipartisan commission to come up with a fairer way to set district lines for elections. He was a victim of gerrymandering about a decade ago, so he understands the value of a level playing field.

Deeds also is tough on crime and dedicated to children’s safety. He sponsored Megan’s Law, which gives residents access to the state sex offender registry, and the Amber Alert Program that transmits important information about missing children immediately.

Deeds has also been endorsed by:

The Martinsville Bulletin

But getting things done can be difficult, especially when politics becomes paramount. For instance, when the House Republicans defeated an unemployment bill, it cost the state $125 million in federal stimulus funds. Sen. Deeds said he would bring the Republicans back to the table by taking a lesson from former governor Gerald Baliles’ approach to solving the state’s transportation problems two decades ago.

“I would call the Republicans and Democrats together and sit down and say, ‘What is it going to take to get this deal done? What do you need to get this to happen? How can I convince you?’ To create win-win situations is hard work, but it’s got to happen,” Sen. Deeds said.

We agree. That is why we urge voters to cast their ballots for Sen. Deeds in the June 9 Democratic primary.

Bristol Herald Courier

Deeds chuckled over having once been told that his worst trait is being too self-effacing and earnest. “Being nice is not a negative and I can be tough when I need to. Over many years, I have proven I can get things done,” he told our editorial board, which consists of Publisher Carl Esposito, Opinion Page Editor Suzanne Tate and Managing Editor J. Todd Foster. “I’ve always been underestimated, but precisely who I am is why I am best suited to be the next governor.”

He sold us.

The Washington Post

Democratic voters may wonder: How can Mr. Deeds beat presumptive Republican nominee Robert F. McDonnell, who beat Mr. Deeds in the attorney general’s race four years ago? The answer: Mr. Deeds lost by a scant 323 votes out of roughly 2 million cast despite being outspent 2 to 1. This is one of only two governor’s races slated for the fall, and whoever wins the primary will have plenty of cash. Virginia is still more purple than blue, and Mr. Deeds’s moderate platform would have the broadest appeal.

Our judgment, though, is based on who would make the best governor in the Warner-Kaine tradition, not who would be the strongest candidate. Like those Northern Virginia senators who have endorsed Mr. Deeds — including Janet D. Howell, Mary Margaret Whipple, J. Chapman “Chap” Petersen, Charles J. Colgan and Richard L. Saslaw — we believe that he understands Northern Virginia. We also believe that he has the character, experience and savvy to be a successful leader of the entire commonwealth.