BY WESLEY P. HESTER

The state’s Republican and Democratic parties are taking swings at each other’s front-runners for the U.S. Senate seat up for grabs this year, focusing on spending and energy policy.

On Wednesday, using the occasion of Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum’s visit to the state, the Democratic Party of Virginia launched a web video assailing George Allen for supporting Medicare Part D as a senator.

The video notes that while Santorum, who also supported the measure, has said he regrets voting for it without a funding mechanism to support it while Allen has not.

On Thursday, the Republican Party of Virginia returned fire, blasting Kaine for siding with President Barack Obama on energy issues from the Keystone XL Pipeline to cap-and-trade legislation.

The press release notes that Kaine supported the president’s call for further review of the pipeline, has consistently supported the need for legislation to curb greenhouse emissions and, as governor, did not support opting out of a moratorium on offshore drilling off the coast of Virginia.

“Whatever the issue Virginians know where Chairman Tim Kaine stands — putting President Obama and his agenda ahead of our families and small businesses,” said RPV chairman Pat Mullins. “Whether it’s prohibiting Virginia from exploring for resources of our coast, supporting cap-and-trade energy taxes or rejecting the Keystone oil pipeline- Tim Kaine has consistently stood with President Obama against efforts that would reduce prices at the pump and create thousands of good-paying jobs.”

See the DPV’s video below.