FAIRFAX, Va. -- In a gubernatorial campaign that so far has lacked sparks, Creigh Deeds came out swinging today with a speech and new television ad, arguing that voting for his opponent would mean supporting a backward vision -- one that embraces George W. Bush's economic policies.

With less than three months to go until the election, today's event indicates the former president could play a key role in the Democratic nominee's campaign going forward.

Speaking at George Mason University in Northern Virginia, Deeds defined himself as the moderate with a bipartisan record in the state Legislature and the one who would keep the state moving forward on the back of the economic policies of Mark Warner, the former governor now serving in the U.S. Senate. While tying Bob McDonnell to an unpopular president, Deeds painted the Republican as a candidate with a conservative social agenda, and who would support policies that he says led the country into economic recession.

"Just recently he said he believes President Bush did a good job and he created -- and I'm quoting here -- an economic revival in America," Deeds said. "The fiscal policies of George Bush doubled the national debt and resulted in over 300,000 Virginians losing their jobs and 48,000 Virginia families losing their homes to foreclosure. That's not a revival, and I will not let my opponent take us back to this economic approach."

On social issues, Deeds said McDonnell "sponsored 35 bills in the General Assembly to restrict a woman's right to choose" and "supported legislation allowing a pharmacist to refuse to fill birth control prescriptions."

"He believes that his social agenda should come before sound public policy, and his record, his career in politics, reflects it," said Deeds. "Virginia can't afford to go back to that."

The theme of the speech, billed as a "major campaign address," was that Virginia is already moving in a positive direction -- so why mess with what's working? The new 30-second TV ad, which can be seen below and is airing around the state except in the D.C. media market, carries the same message.

In response, the McDonnell campaign released a statement calling the event a "stunt" and a clear indication that Deeds "has no vision to offer."

"That was the most backwards looking speech ever given by a Virginia gubernatorial nominee," said McDonnell spokesman Tucker Martin. "If Creigh Deeds thinks blowing the dust off an old political playbook amounts to a major new announcement, he doesn't get what the voters of Virginia are looking for in their next governor."