Warner throws his hat into the ring

September 13, 2007

Democratic hopes of expanding its majority in the U.S. Senate got a boost this morning, when former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D) announced in a web video that he will run to succeed retiring Sen. John Warner (R-no relation).

Warner’s campaign website is now online, though at this early date, it’s rather sparse.

Watching the video reminds the viewer why Warner is considered the favorite in the race — he was a remarkably successful governor, turning around a state that had suffered after years of Republican mismanagement. He left office with an approval rating around 70%, which is rather startling for a Democrat in the South, and a Rasmussen poll this week shows him with 20-point leads over his likely Republican opponents in next year’s race.

What’s more, Warner will immediately enjoy the enthusiastic support of the state and national Democratic party, while Virginia Republicans are poised to endure a bitter primary between former Gov. James Gilmore (whose presidential campaign, like his gubernatorial tenure, was an embarrassing failure) and Rep. Tom Davis.

How will Republicans go after Warner? We’re already getting some indications, and they’re kind of amusing.

Davis is holding his fire, but Gilmore is giving his talking points a try.

Davis declined to comment Wednesday, saying he would make a statement after Warner’s announcement is official. Gilmore said that he is interested in the race and that Warner’s decision would not affect his: “Sending a Democrat to the United States Senate at this very critical time is not the best policy.”

Yep, that’s it. Don’t vote for Warner — he’s a Democrat. Please.

The GOP can’t very well accuse Warner of being some unhinged, radical liberal. In 2005, Warner was backing Tim Kaine (D) as his successor, and the Virginia Republican Party ran ads insisting that Kaine wasn’t as moderate and sensible as Warner.

Obviously, a lot can happen over 14 months, but if I were a betting man, my money would be on Warner. The result would be a Virginia with a Democratic governor and two Democratic senators for the first time in decades.

The GOP can’t very well accuse Warner of being some unhinged, radical liberal.

Oh yeah? Just because they said the opposite a few years ago? Really?

  • I’m glad to see he’s running; he did great things as governor of Virginia and it would be a shame not to utilize those skills in the Senate.

    And what else did you expect the republicans to attack him with but the tired old “he’s a demoncrat” bull? After their turn at the helm they’ve easily proven worse at financial, domestic, and foreign policy (not to mention their woeful pandering to the theocratic ‘morality’ wing) so what else have they got left?

  • Oh yeah? Just because they said the opposite a few years ago? Really?

    Heck, they could have said the opposite last week and it wouldn’t stop them from reversing talking points if they thought it would help.

    This is the Party of Perpetual Projection™… they think if they can scream something loud enough people will ignore the fact that they’re unprincipled hypocrites 95% of the time.

  • Ever seen The Distinguished Gentleman staring Eddie Murphy? In the film Murphy’s character wins a seat in Congress because he has the same name as the recently deceased incumbent. “Vote Jeff Johnson- The Name You Know!”

    I don’t think Warner should have any trouble succeeding Warner. He’ll get more than a few votes from confused Republicans trying to vote for the incumbent.

    “Vote for Warner- The Name You Know!” Heh heh heh.

  • I think the Republicans will make Warner out to be whatever they need to in order to fire up their base and get them out to vote – isn’t that what they always do? I’ve yet to see an instance where they let something like easily-retrievable statements get in the way of claiming something completely different.

  • How will Republicans go after Warner?

    The NRSC is launching a website they call DontMarkWarner.com (as in, don’t mark the ballot for him, I suppose). Their main knock against him is “Why did Mark Warner break his number one campaign promise ot the people of Virginia?” Namely, to not raise taxes.

  • If I were Davis I would stay in the House and let the idiot Gilmore take the hit for being Republican. That Senate seat could go Democrat especially now that Warner in in the race and people in the state like him and he was a successful governor. Of course they know Gilmore too, but he was less successful, and he is a Republican. Voters are looking to punish Republican. As for Davis his seat could go Democratic if he left though he would likely get re-elected if he ran. He is not guaranteed of winning the Senate seat if he ran. Sure I would love to have more House members be Democrats but Davis is someone Democrats could work with – he ain’t a dummy. On a more selfish level I want him to stay because he is a friend of the District (the city) and has been working hard for a permanent House for the City and less Congressional nitpicking over the fate of the District.

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  • Wont vote for him simply because he sold out N. Virginia on every single piece of transportation legislation. Everything he has done for highways has benefited points south of Fairfax County. Yet he claims to be from N. Virginia. Total sell out. Basically, just another LYING POLITICIAN.

  • Puh-lease!
    I suppose the Springfield mixing bowl is south of Fairfax, but do you really claim he did nothing for N. VA transportation?

    Frankly that’s a good thing. VA’s uncontrolled growth has caused enough congestion that VA is finally considering things like hot lanes and subway extensions. FINALLY roads aren’t the only arrow in VA’s quiver.

    If Warner had anything to do with VA getting its head out of its arse, good for him.

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