BY CHELYEN DAVIS

Republican Senate candidate George Allen said a visit to a Spotsylvania County defense contractor gave him insights into what small businesses need from the federal government.

Allen, a former Virginia governor, is vying for the Republican nomination for next year's U.S. Senate race, seeking the seat he lost in 2006.

Yesterday, he toured Sim Ventions, a small business that does systems and software engineering for Department of Defense programs.

There, company President Larry Root told Allen that the government must maintain programs that award a percentage of defense contracts to small businesses.

Such programs help businesses like SimVentions compete against larger contractors, said Root and other employees at the company.

The employees also told Allen that when Congress delays approving appropriations for contracts, it hurts small contractors more than the larger ones.

"It reinforced what I knew and have heard and thought was right," Allen said later.

He said he had heard similar things from other small-business groups, and believes keeping small businesses in the contracting mix encourages more creativity and more innovation because it provides more competition.

Allen said the visit "puts a face" on the concerns of small-business owners and employees.

Root also talked to Allen about government taxation and how increased taxes limit his ability to use those dollars for something else--like supporting the numerous community programs that SimVentions is involved with.

"It's not going to be spent as effectively [in Washington] as allowing it to stay here and allowing us to use it," Root said.

Allen agreed with him.

"Look at the taxes on job-creating businesses," Allen said, adding that Washington dictates have sapped the entrepreneurial spirit.

"I see a country not going in the right direction," Allen added in brief remarks to company employees. "I think we need to change the trajectory of the country again."

Chelyen Davis: 540/368-5028
Email: cdavis@freelancestar.com