Mark Warner

Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, who is seeking a fourth and final six-year term in office in Tuesday's election, speaks Saturday during a political rally at Vibrissa Beer in downtown Winchester.

Democratic 6th District U.S. House of Representatives candidate Beth Macy, at podium, speaks Saturday during a political rally at Vibrissa Beer in downtown Winchester.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, right, talks with Bedíong à Nyokon during a political rally Saturday at Vibrissa Beer in downtown Winchester.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, who is seeking a fourth and final six-year term in office in Tuesday's election, speaks Saturday during a political rally at Vibrissa Beer in downtown Winchester.

Democratic 6th District U.S. House of Representatives candidate Beth Macy, at podium, speaks Saturday during a political rally at Vibrissa Beer in downtown Winchester.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, right, talks with Bedíong à Nyokon during a political rally Saturday at Vibrissa Beer in downtown Winchester.

Democratic candidates U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, who is seeking reelection to his fourth term in Virginia, and Beth Macy, a political newcomer vying for Virginia's 6th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, addressed a full-house crowd at Vibrissa Beer in downtown Winchester on Saturday ahead of Tuesday's general election.

They were joined by Tim Kaine, Virginia's junior U.S. senator who also is a Democrat and, like Warner, a former Virginia governor. Kaine, who is not up for election this year, served as lieutenant governor under Warner.

The trio discussed economic hardships that many Americans are facing, including high costs for food, gasoline, heating oil and health insurance. They blamed President Trump and Republican lawmakers who have felt pressured to agree with the president.

Like Democrats, Warner said, Republicans love America "but they have been so intimidated."

"This is the most expensive moment in American history," said Macy, an author and former investigative journalist from Roanoke. And, "this is the most corrupt moment in American history."

Ultimately, "the devastation that people are feeling in their pocketbooks is the result of one man," Kaine said. "Donald Trump has been a one-man wrecking crew on the economy."

Macy said she's knocked on more than 100,000 doors in the 6th District — an area roughly the size of New Jersey that stretches from Winchester to Roanoke along the I-81 corridor — to talk with voters. They've told her they're "feeling the pain" when it comes to the economy.

The trio criticized the war in Iran, which Congress hasn't formally approved.

Warner, vice chairman of the Senate's Select Committee on Intelligence, stressed that "there was no significant (nuclear weapons) threat from Iran" to go to war over.

"I haven't met any hard-core MAGA person who wanted to send their kid or grandkid into another land war," he added.

It's "an illegal, idiotic, immoral war" that is punishing people worldwide, not just in the United States, such as through high gas prices, Kaine said.

Warner and Kaine contend that Macy is the right person to help them battle corruption on Capitol Hill.

"I don't feel there's a better listener in this commonwealth than Beth Macy," said Kaine, noting that she spent her journalism career interviewing people and hearing their concerns.

She has "both brains and heart," Warner said.

Macy said her challenger, incumbent U.S. Rep. Ben Cline (R-6th), has been in California meeting with technology companies rather than talking with his constituents.

"He's for them," she told the crowd at Vibrissa. "I'm for you."

Cline campaigned in Winchester in October with former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

"We love Patsy Cline," Kaine said, referring to the late country music singer from Winchester. "But we don't need a Cline who's a patsy" for Trump and wealthy special interests.

Macy is optimistic she'll defeat Cline. She said people have told her they plan to vote for her "because everyone else hasn't done jack for us."

Kaine said he thinks voters can help fix the problems in Washington "if we send Beth Macy to Congress and send Mark back to the Senate."

"You just can't believe in Tim, Beth and me," Warner said — people must go to the polls and vote to show their support.

And, "we have to win big," he said. The larger the victory that Democrats have, the less that Republicans can question it.

"Voting is one of the most important things we can do to help shape our future," said Madelyn Jiménez-Torres, a former Winchester City Council member who emceed the rally.

At 71, Warner said that if he's reelected, he won't seek a fifth six-year term. Neither does he plan to run for president or any other political office, he told The Winchester Star.

In terms of a future president, though, "we need somebody with a record of being bipartisan to pick up the pieces" of a broken government, said Warner, and unite lawmakers to strive to do what's best for the nation, regardless of their political affiliations.

— Contact Mickey Powell at [email protected]

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