UPDATE 30 August 1:06 p.m.: Warner's office is saying he will have an announcement on his plans at 2 p.m. tomorrow on the steps of the Rotunda at the University of Virginia, in the shadow of Jefferson's statue, according to Jonathan Martin at The Politico. Sure sounds like he is retiring to me . . .
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Republican Senator John Warner hasn't been raising money like a man intending to run for reelection, and his retirement could set up a bruising GOP primary fight in a cycle where Democrats may already hold the advantage, Reid Wilson writes for Real Clear Politics:
Should Warner retire, the stage will be set for a long-anticipated fight between two wings of the Virginia Republican Party. Congressman Tom Davis, a moderate from the Washington suburbs in Northern Virginia, will likely face off against conservative former Governor Jim Gilmore, who dropped out of the presidential race earlier this year but has recently talked openly of running for the Senate.
Neither has said they will run, out of deference to the incumbent, but both are making moves indicating their willingness to jump in at a moment's notice. Two sources said both candidates are making phone calls to supporters, telling them that they will run if the incumbent decides not to, in hopes of starting a campaign on strong footing.
Read the whole column at the link above. It wouldn't be startling for a Democrat to win Warner's seat - particularly if it were former Governor Mark Warner. In fact, since Reconstruction, only four Republicans have represented the Old Dominion in the US Senate: William Scott, John Warner, Paul Trible, and George Allen. However, Democrats have not held both Virginia Senate seats since Harry Byrd, Jr. declared himself an independent in 1970.
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2008 Senate races, Commentary, Virginia
Tags: 2008, campaign, Senate, Virginia, Warner
Comments (4)
Either Gilmore or Davis wou... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Glenn Koons | August 29, 2007 3:18 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Either Gilmore or Davis would be better than any Dem. Period. When will the GOP realize that unless they stop punishing their own party, they will get the real enemy of conservative free enterprise democracy, a liberal leftist socialist pacifist. I am sick of our purists. Support our guy because we cannot afford any Dem because they will drive us into being a Third World status.
1. Posted by Glenn Koons | August 29, 2007 3:18 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on August 29, 2007 15:18
2. Posted by bryanD | August 29, 2007 10:02 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Glenn Koons, Excessive puritanism is one thing, but Bush has midwifed a big government, open borders, Kelo-enforcing stripe of GOP that certain not-"with-it" "Paleocons" (read conservatives) will be happy to see destroyed through electoral rejection.
Playing the Democrats at their own game is a losing proposition anyway. "People" + "change" vs the amorphous (at best) domestic policy results of 2000-2008 is a loser, and in foreign policy the Dems have stolen the establishment Republican thunder: secure Israel: check!, target Iran: check!
As for the post, Gilmore could win in a squeaker, otherwise it goes Dem. Because the present "far-right" Bush GOP is really center/center-left and the left is owned by the Democrats and the Virginia brand of Democrat is centrist. Gilmore's good reputation as a conventional conservative makes him the Option.
Bush though: a foreign policy hawk does not equal "conservative" or "right". Think of the New Nixon of 1968. Law and order. And wage and price controls.
Bush: "keep us safe". Open borders.
2. Posted by bryanD | August 29, 2007 10:02 PM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on August 29, 2007 22:02
3. Posted by kim | August 30, 2007 7:39 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
bD, in foreign policy the Dems have hardly stolen the establishment Republican thunder.
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3. Posted by kim | August 30, 2007 7:39 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on August 30, 2007 07:39
4. Posted by Scrapiron | August 30, 2007 10:36 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Almost anyone would be better than John Warner. The people in Va have now adapted to sending a large portion of their income to the state due to the last two governors (both democrats) who have raised every fee and fine in the state several times. Soon the working class will have to apply for welfare simply to eat, or move out of the state. Maybe we can follow the giant sucking sound to the south (of the border) created by Slick Willie and find the jobs.
4. Posted by Scrapiron | August 30, 2007 10:36 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on August 30, 2007 10:36