With former governor Jim Gilmore dropping out of the presidential race, the Republican field for the 2009 gubernatorial election just got a bit more crowded. AG Bob McDonnell, who confirmed to me at Blogs United that he’s in the race regardless of who the Democratic nominee might be, LG Bill Bolling, who has said since he ran for LG that it was his plan to run for governor in 2009, George Allen, who has nothing else to do, and now Gilmore (likewise) make four candidates on that side of the aisle.
Although there has been talk that Gilmore might challenge Tom Davis for the nomination for Senate (assuming John Warner retires), I think that’s unlikely. Gilmore would love to run against Mark Warner and I think that will require a gubernatorial run as I believe Warner will not run for Senate.
Bolling hinted at a possible Senate run in his comments at BU Saturday night, and perhaps NoVA Scout’s comments in that post are correct. I understand that Bolling and Gilmore are friends so whatever post Gilmore decides to go after, Bolling won’t.
In any event, it seems that Republicans are going to have a lot of choices for their nominee and I expect we’ll see a primary. Did I miss anybody? 🙂
On the Democratic side, I’m fully expecting Mark Warner to run, if he’s not vice president 😉
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Don’t worry about us Vivian, we’ll figure it out. It’s nice to have choices.
I agree with J.R. Though this field is even harder to choose from than the presidential field. As I imagine many Democrats are very unhappy about any of them, I would be more than pleased to see any of these four men win the primary and general elections for 2009.
Glad to hear, CR; feel free to nominate Jim Gilmore. His name might not have been on the ballot in 2001, but that’s not to say that voters weren’t deciding between the Jim Gilmore style of government and the Mark Warner style of government anyway. 😉
Yeah – nominate Gilmore 😉 Please 😀
Gilmore out fred in one body for another in the presidental race, gilmore, allen keep digging up dead bodies the gop will not win, we fresh new bold ideas not stuff from 10 years ago, jim, allen g get some real jobs and stop for a real change.
Jimmy, We hardly knew you as a presidental candidate. Out of the race in the blink of an eye!!!