Cuccinelli, Bolling sworn in

Ken Cuccinelli, Virginia's new attorney general, did not deliver an inaugural address yesterday, but he liked Gov. Bob McDonnell's.

"He stayed on a theme that is very important right now opportunity founded in our foundational principles," the Fairfax County lawyer said.

"So that's something that I can easily be an aggressive partner with him in and look forward to doing that."

Cuccinelli took his oath and Bill Bolling was sworn in for his second term as lieutenant governor shortly before McDonnell took office as Virginia's 71st governor.

Margaret W. Deglau, a judge in Henrico County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, swore in Cuccinelli. The new attorney general and the judge's husband are friends from their days at the University of Virginia.

When it was Bolling's turn, Justice Donald W. Lemons of the Virginia Supreme Court asked whether he was ready to take the oath.

"I'm more than ready," Bolling said.

"I'm sure you are," Lemons responded.

Speaking of the inaugural ceremony, Cuccinelli said, "it really is a great, not just tradition, but a blessing the way we hand over the reins from one to the next in this country."

Bolling sought a second term as lieutenant governor, rather than vie with McDonnell for the GOP gubernatorial nomination. In doing so, he set himself up as the presumed Republican nominee for governor in 2013.

In introducing McDonnell during a prayer breakfast at the Richmond Marriott, Bolling referred to his own "very difficult decision to forgo some interests that I had" and allow McDonnell to seek the nomination without a challenge.

Bolling said he passed on a race for governor last year because it wasn't the right time for himself or his family, but "more importantly, because I knew we had a great guy that could lead our state through challenging times."

"Much like our outgoing governor," Timothy M. Kaine, McDonnell "is simply a good and decent man," Bolling said.

In his first executive order, McDonnell created the Cabinet-level post of chief job-creation officer, a role that Bolling will fill.

Asked about potentially serving more than one term as attorney general, Cuccinelli said "I'm going to dig into this job without looking to do anything else for a while. And my expectation is we'll be there awhile."

Cuccinelli had served in the state Senate since 2002. He barely won re-election in 2007, after a recount but crushed his Democratic opponent, Steve Shannon, in last fall's general election.

Bolling easily won re-election in November, defeating Democrat Jody Wagner, a former secretary of finance.

Bolling brings local government and legislative experience to the part-time job, which entails presiding over the Senate.

Bolling served on the Hanover County Board of Supervisors for three years before being elected to the Virginia Senate in 1996. He is an insurance executive.

Cuccinelli gave the blessing during the prayer breakfast, thanking God for the "awesome privilege" of serving.

He asked God to comfort the afflicted at home and abroad, then asked for grace and guidance.

"Our country and our state will do well if we are simply led by good and decent people who [have] the right convictions, the right character and the right principles," he said.