Lynchburg's hotly contested House of Delegates race between Del. Shannon Valentine and Republican Scott Garrett, with controversy swirling about the tenor and truthfulness of campaign ads, doesn't surprise veteran observers.

A struggling economy, a Republican resurgence in statewide polls and flowing campaign dollars from the state and national levels have brought an intensity not seen in years to the 23rd District contest between Garrett and Valentine, D-Lynchburg.

"There seems to be more interest this year than ever before that I can recall," said Marie Waller, president of Lynchburg's League of Women Voters and a longtime teacher.

"I think maybe the economy is causing it," Waller said. "When times are hard, people look for a change, hoping things will get better."

Vance Wilkins, who once represented Amherst County in Richmond and served as Speaker of the House, compared today's times to Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential win over George Bush during a recession.

"When Clinton was running, he said, 'It's the economy, stupid' when he beat Bush.

"I think it still is," said Wilkins, who is backing Garrett. (Clinton used the "stupid" phrase daily to remind himself to stay on message.)

The economy isn't reflected in the candidates' campaign treasuries. 

Valentine has raised almost $300,000, and she was the best-funded Democrat in all of Virginia's House races as of Sept. 30. Garrett has raised almost $260,000, including his primary-election contest with fellow City Councilman Jeff Helgeson. 

Mike Harrington, a former Lynchburg Republican party chairman who ran against Valentine four years ago, said voters' frustration with deficit spending in Washington could affect the Lynchburg race.

"It gives people an opportunity to vent their frustration and anger by punishing a local candidate," Harrington said.

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Stump speeches by Garrett usually begin with the concerns he hears from people as he knocks on doors in his campaign rounds.

Valentine uses a similar theme. "We are living in difficult times," are often her first words to an audience.

That's where similarities end between Valentine and Garrett.

Garrett is unleashing an almost-daily stream of mailed brochures saying Valentine wants to raise taxes. As evidence, Garrett cites her answers about revenues that might finance $1 billion for roads on a questionnaire from Virginia FREE, a business advocacy group.

In response, Clayton Roberts, president of Virginia FREE, issued this statement: "The questionnaire does not ask candidates whether they would support a tax increase for transportation. To assert otherwise is deliberately misleading."

Bert Dodson, a Lynchburg city councilman and president of Dodson Pest Control, said his company is a member of Virginia FREE.

It is unusual for Roberts, who "is completely non-partisan, to be quoted so much" in a political campaign, said Dodson, who supports Valentine.

"It gives Lynchburg a negative characterization, by Scott being so inaccurate," Dodson said.

Valentine, in addition to saying the brochures "do not tell the truth," also says state legislators have cut Virginia's budget four times the past two years without raising taxes. 

"Somebody would be out of his mind to raise a tax" in this economy, she said.

The questionnaire can be seen at http://shannonvalentine.net. Click on "Setting the record straight."

Waller, whose group sponsored a candidates' forum last week that attracted almost 200 people, said the TV ads and mailers from Valentine and Garrett cause a visceral reaction