I’ve long thought that Mark Warner will not run for Senate in 2008, and this New York Observer piece seems to back that up. It is looking more and more like Tom Davis will be the Republican candidate. His trip down here for the Republican Party of Virginia Beach’s breakfast certainly wasn’t because he was checking out the scenery.
So who do you think the Democratic candidate will be or should be?
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Bobby Scott has publicly stated during town hall meetings when asked if he would run for the Senate that he would not….He wants to continue his work in the House.
I just hope the Dems get a competent ethical candidate who can win.
We don’t need another corrupt Senator who is a corporate water boy….Heck we just got rid of that sort when Allen was defeated…we surely don’t need another one to replace him.
Buzz….Buzz…
An interesting theory, Hillary promises Warner the VP slot in exchange for him stepping down from the run for the Presidency. He helps her tremendously if he can carry Virginia. After Hillary’s 8 years, Mark Warner can run for Presidency.
If Jim Webb played better with others, Hillary might also consider him for vp. He might add the strong military guy to the ticket AND be able to carry a red state. But I don’t see those two getting along well enough to do that. They both want to be in charge and neither get along well with others.
If Warner isn’t hoping to be Hillary’s VP, why is he waiting to announce what he’ll do next year?
Hillary has problems in small towns in Midwest as well as in South. I think it just as likely that she would go with Tom VIlsack or Evan Bayh as she would with Warner. I also think thse’d prefer a VP running mate whose personality would not compete with hers, as would be the case with Mark Warner.
Vilsack is personally very close to Clinton. His wife’s brother and Hillary shared a cubicle during the House Judiciary Committee efforts on impeachment of Nixon, and they’ve been friends ever since. She came out to endorse and support him when he was an underdog to even get gubernatorial nomination. And he has apparently done a huge amount behind the scenes to get her campaign better organized, doing a better job of outreach.
Disclosure – I am personal friends with Tom, so use that as a reason to discount what I am saying if you chose. But Hillary has troubles in MN, WI and IA and would probably need to carry all three to win a general.
Also, if she is going to carry OH and FL against her Republican opponent, which to me makes sense against most of the current R field, then she wouldn’t need Virginia, and it is not clear the Warner would help her in either state.
“Then again, it’s not fair to say Moran/Deeds/whoever is behind in the count before they’ve even gotten to the batter’s box.”
Rule 6.02(c): “If the batter refuses to take his position in the batter’s box during his time at bat, the umpire shall call a strike on the batter.”
[ My son is an umpire. 🙂 ]
If not Bobby Scott, what about Leslie Byrne? She’s a real Democrat with a true commitment to public service and someone who got more votes than Kilgore in a statewide race.
Getting more votes than Kilgore in 2005 just points to how much Kilgore’s operation underperformed, Shawn, as well as how well Kaine did at cutting into Kilgore by persuading voters who might have voted straight Republican to split their ticket. Indeed, I think it says something about how the state’s voters feel about Byrne as a candidate that a lot of people who voted for Kaine couldn’t bring themselves to pull the lever for her.
Don Beyer, on the other hand, would be a fantabulous choice.
Don Beyer. Sure. Politician. Used-Car Salesman. What’s the difference?
The only thing worse would be a lawyer. Oh, wait….
“Lawyers making laws is like doctors making diseases.”