Virginia Republicans Push For Offshore Drilling

The Virginia House of Delegates, the Senate and Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) have all approved drilling for oil and gas off the state's coast. Still, the Obama Administration has a moratorium in place blocking Virginia from leasing out the area for drilling.

It's something that is puzzling to Rep. Scott Rigell (R-Va.).

"So here we have the express, collective wisdom and will and desire of Virginians, and it's being thwarted by the administration," he says. Rigell recently got the House to approve an amendment that would lift that moratorium, which he says would do well for the economy across the state.

"We are optimistic about this," he says. "It has tremendous job creating potential, not only in Virginia's second congressional district but the entire region."

Environmentalists and people in the tourism industry vehemently oppose the plan to drill off Virginia's coast, saying the potential harms far outweigh any new revenue.