John Warner announces retirement from Senate

August 31, 2007

Sen. John Warner of Virginia, one of the last remaining respectable Republican senators, announced today that he’s calling it quits after five terms.

Warner said he still feels spry enough for the rigors of the Senate, but he did not want to push it for another six years.

“I want to be fair to this wonderful state, which has been eminently fair to me all these years,” Warner said.

His message to Virginians, he said, is: “You’ve given me my best shot, and I’m quietly going to step aside and make way for others.”

I can’t think of too many issues where my opinion is in line with Warner’s, but he’s always treated his office, his responsibilities, and his colleagues with a kind of dignity and respect that most of the Senate Republican caucus gave up on quite a while ago.

Indeed, it’s probably worth remembering that despite his record as a conservative Republican senator from the South, Warner was not a reflexive partisan. In 1996, when his party nominated Oliver North, Warner said he could not in good conscience endorse him, and instead backed an independent who helped then-Sen. Chuck Robb win re-election. It is hard to imagine another Republican member of the Senate doing anything similar today.

Of course, there are also broader implications of Warner’s retirement — it increases the likelihood that Democrats are going to have a very good cycle in 2008.

The AP explained:

The most likely Democratic contender is former Gov. Mark R. Warner, a wealthy Alexandria businessman who left office in early 2006 with unprecedented job-approval ratings. Mark Warner, who is not related to the senator, unsuccessfully challenged him in the 1996 Senate race.

The nomination battle among Republicans probably will include former Gov. Jim Gilmore and U.S. Rep. Thomas M. Davis.

Mark Warner, who has quietly expressed interest in the race, would be the presumptive frontrunner, should he throw his hat into the ring. His chances of success grow if Republicans have a divisive primary fight, which now seems likely, between the more moderate Davis and the more conservative Gilmore.

If Dems pick up seats in Virginia, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Minnesota, all of which appear very winnable at this point, is a filibuster-proof majority a possibility for Democrats in 2009? Dare to dream….

Ollie was the Virginia GOP’s candidate for the Senate in 1994.

  • He probably couldn’t stand the smell of today’s Republican party anymore, or maybe he sees the writing on the wall about the 2008 Republican Extinction Event. (That is if Cheney doesn’t attack Iran and split the Dems).

    In any event, good riddance to another Republican enabler.

  • No, Warner’s 80 and deserves a break though it’s a shame to lose a principled man.
    Even him.

    Salut, Senator Warner.
    I have never doubted your sincerity nor integrity sir. May your successor fill your place with half the mettle.

  • Good riddance. All of them need to be replaced, they are all corrupt. The approval of the domestic spying bill turning military spy equipment on us was the final straw. They sold us down the river. They have sat by and let our civil rights be destroyed to the extent they will be using equipment that can look into our bedrooms and basements. More, they will “share” the information with local law enforcement. Worse, people don’t seem to give a damn.

    Warner talks a good game, but his record speaks for itself. He is just as rotten as the rest of them.

    As for me, I am going to leave the country. I cannot live in such an environment, I have too much pride and dignity to lie down for the likes of George Bush to run roughshod over my private life. The military spying equipment can look through walls, that is too much for me.

  • Take note that it is not only the Republican Party that is quickly losing its influence and gravitas, a certain Connecticut for Lieberman party is also becoming increasingly inconsequential by the day. I cannot wait for 08’s election day.

  • I’ll be glad to see him go and I hope that Mark Warner does run and wins; Jim Webb needs another Dem Senator to pal around with. He’s not such a blue-blood to begin with (remember, he used to be a Repub) and his frienship with and respect for John Warner was making him redder every minute (I’ll never forgive him for his recent FISA vote). Not that Mark Warner is such a flaming liberal himself but, at least, he’s better than John.

  • While there are some respectable quailties in Senator Warner, in the past he’s also been a staunch conservative. Keep in mind he was also a staunch supporter of removing Bill Clinton from office over a …. you know what. That annoyed me and I remember he made the Sunday talk show rounds explaining why it was necessary, yaddah, yaddah, yaddah. Some say he was a devout constitutionalist but after that incident and waste of taxpayer money, perhaps he should go back and review what “abuse of power” really means.

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