Fairfax, Virginia (CNN) - Virginia GOP gubernatorial hopeful Ken Cuccinelli said Friday that the Affordable Care Act is “the law of the land” and called on members of Congress to pass a short-term spending bill that would bring the ongoing government shutdown to an end.

“This is no way to run a government, especially a super power,” Cuccinelli told reporters after convening a roundtable discussion with area physicians to discuss flaws in the health care law.

Cuccinelli, who trails Democratic opponent Terry McAuliffe in the polls, avoided blaming his fellow Republicans in the House for the stalemate in Washington, a shutdown that has affected tens of thousands of Virginia workers and military families.

He pointed instead to President Barack Obama and “ridiculous” Senate Democrats for refusing to negotiate over a spending resolution that would de-fund “Obamacare,” ....