ARLINGTON, Va. - With two and half weeks until Virginia voters head to the polls, Republican gubernatorial nominee Bob McDonnell holds a strong lead over Democrat Creigh Deeds.

ABC 7's Rebecca Cooper sat down with Deeds Friday to find out what his strategy is going into the home stretch.

In an interview for NewsChannel 8's Washington Business Tonight, Deeds went on the record about his views on taxes, being the butt of a McDonnell supporter's jokes and why he won't get the H1N1 vaccine.

Deeds isn't backing down from saying he would consider new statewide taxes to pay for fixing Northern Virginia transportation problems.

"Northern Virginia already sends lots of its tax dollars to pay for education and other state services," Deeds said. "We're all in this together."

When asked about McDonnell's accusation that he voted to raise taxes by $3.5 billion while in the state senate, Deeds replied: "Virginians have a reason to worry about paying taxes. I don't like paying taxes any more than anyone else. I don't know if his figures are accurate or not. I voted for tax cuts big time, too."

McDonnell backer Sheila Johnson, the co-found of Black Entertainment Television, raised eyebrows by saying Deeds isn't articulate, and mocking his stutter.

"I talk the way I do and I've always talked this way," Deeds said. "I will admit that I'm not the most smooth communicator. I do not have the most smooth talking style but frankly I still get things done."

Cooper later asked if it was "mean of Sheila Johnson" to impersonate his stuttering. "It was disappointing," Deeds replied

One interesting point in the interview came when Deeds was asked about flu shots, including the H1N1 vaccine. Deeds says he won't get them, claiming they make him sick. But he said others should get the vaccine.

"...I don't take flu shots because I don't believe in them for me," Deeds said.

"Would you make everybody else do it?" Cooper asked.

"I think people should make up their own minds about whether they are going going to get flu shots," Deeds replied.

But many experts say if health care workers refuse to get shots it puts others at risk.

"Well certainly if you are in a health care position you are at greater risk than other folks," Deeds said. "So should they have to do it?" Rebecca Cooper asked. "They should have a .. shot," Deeds replied. "Get the vaccine?" Cooper asked, to clarifying. "Yes," Deeds responded.

Deeds emphasized the reason he doesn't get a shot is because he believes it makes him sick.

Deeds was also asked if there was any area in which he thought he could do better than Gov. Tim Kaine on the issue of transportation, and why he isn't doing better in maintaining a bigger lead in Democrat-rich Northern Virginia.

» Click Here to Watch Full Interview With Creigh Deeds

McDonnell's campaign has agreed to appear on Washington Business Tonight before the election, but the exact date of that interview has not been set.

 Email To Friend