How to boost job creation and Virginia's overall economy were topics at the core of the race for lieutenant governor Friday.

Republican Bill Bolling's running to keep his job, and he's in the Valley laying out his plans.

His travels brought him to the temporary home of SRI International, a non-profit research and development firm. He also stopped in Page County, which has seen double-digit unemployment during the recession.

"Economic development strategies that we use in urban and suburban Virginia don't necessarily work in rural Virginia," says Bolling.

One step Bolling wants to take is appointing a new deputy secretary for commerce and trade. That person would focus exclusively on rural development.

Another step is making the lieutenant governor the chief economic development and job creation officer in Virginia.

Former Finance Secretary Jody Wagner (D) is running to unseat Bolling.

"He hasn't been talking about jobs. He hasn't been making proposals. And, he hasn't been working with Gov. [Tim] Kaine and our administration to try and deal with some of the issues dealing with jobs," says Wagner.

"Well, she has no positive solutions. That's the politics of the past," says Bolling.

Wagner is pushing a few key ways to grow jobs, including focusing on the renewable energy sector. She says she wants to see growth.

However, she says, "We need to deal with the transportation problem once and for all. Employers are not going to put jobs where they can't get their employees to work."

"We need really targeted marketing strategies," says Bolling. "We need a laser-like approach to rural economic development. And, I think we can be much more effective at that than we've been in the past."

Bolling also calls for a new tax credit for businesses that create a minimum number of jobs, depending on where they are in Virginia.

Wagner plans to make a campaign stop in the Valley Thursday.