Cuccinelli-ImageRICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Virginia’s conservative activist attorney general, Ken Cuccinelli, has been nominated by acclamation for governor at a statewide Republican convention dominated for the first time by the tea party. 

 Cuccinelli was unopposed for the nomination. Several thousand delegates to the convention will also choose their nominees for lieutenant governor from seven candidates, and choose between Del. Rob Bell of Albemarle and state Sen. Mark Obenshain of Harrisonburg. 

 In remarks to the convention Saturday, Cuccinelli tacked to the center in a speech that stressed mainstream themes and fought back against Democratic attacks portraying him as a right-wing extremist. 

 He made scant mention of his support for abortion restrictions and instead noted his crackdowns on Internet predators and human traffickers, to exonerate the wrongly convicted and aid the intellectually disabled.