Former Sen. George Allen (R) joined former Gov. Tim Kaine (D) in calling for civility in the race to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Jim Webb (D) Tuesday while also highlighting his own record of development within Prince William County.

"There are going to be a lot of differences and I hope for this to be a civil debate," Allen said during an interview in Burke on April 5. Allen and his wife Susan were in town promoting the candidacies of Fairfax County Supervisors Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) and John Cook (R-Braddock) at Glory Days Grill.

"Tim has his point of view, I have mine and ultimately the people, the owners of the government, will make a decision as to which one is closer to improving the lives and opportunities for their families," said Allen. "And I generally think that lower taxes, a less burdensome government, and utilizing America's energy resources will help our country."

Allen starts off the race as the frontrunner for the GOP nomination. He faces three relatively unknown declared opponents: Virginia Tea Party Patriots co-founder Jamie Radtke (R), Virginia Beach attorney David McCormick (R) and Faith Exodus Ministries Bishop E.W. Jackson (R) of Hampton Roads.

Two Prince William County Republicans are also mulling whether to enter the race: Manassas Del. Bob Marshall (R-13th) and Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart (R).

Kaine, who entered the race last Tuesday, does not have a declared challenger for the Democratic nomination though U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-3rd) said he is giving himself until July 1 to make a decision about running.

While in Burke, Allen mentioned some local connections when highlighting his record as governor, specifically regarding job creation and infrastructure development.

He said the "one of the things I'm most proud of" achieving in Prince William County while serving as governor in the mid-1990s was bringing in the Manassas semiconductor facility now known as Micron. He touted that as a first-of-its-kind in Virginia.

Allen also mentioned funding the Manassas campus for George Mason University during the 1990s and recruiting the bioproducts resource center American Type Culture Collection to Innovation Technology Park. He linked that with the development of the Route 234 bypass which runs along Innovation.

Construction on the section of that road that connects Interstate 66 in the north to Route 28 in the south began during Allen's second year in office in 1995 and wrapped up during his final year in August 1997.

"Throughout Prince William, (there are) those records of accomplishment," said Allen.

The son of the former Washington Redskins head coach of the same name started his elected career in the state House of Delegates before serving one term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He mentioned how redistricting as cued his first run for statewide office.

"They're going through the redistricting right now, and I know what that can be like, having my district butchered five different ways so I couldn't run again," Allen said to fellow Republicans in a private room at Glory Days. "So I ran for governor."

Allen served as governor from 1994 to 1998 and defeated former Sen. Chuck Robb (D) during the U.S. Senate race in 2000. He lost to Webb in 2006 in one of the closest races in the country, which resulted in Democrats regaining control of the congressional upper chamber.

According to Susan Allen, what made the 2006 campaign so much different from the 2000 one was the level of "frustration" voters felt about the Iraq war, which she described as "very, very profound" and "very, very emotional."

"We worked very hard in 2006 but again, I think the climate was very different," she said, later adding, "I think the sentiments were so negative."

This year’s electorate, she said, is resembles the one the propelled Allen to victory in 1993 in that there is a focus on shrinking government and states’ rights.

With the advent of the Internet and social networking, however, "I do think people tend to be much more away of specific votes" these days, she said. "The problem is that information isn’t always correct."