“Warner closes Senate career”
Source: Washington Times – 9/1/2007
Thoughts: As noted last week, I believe Senator Warner to be one of the best Senators our time. Unfortunately, he is decided to bring an end to his political career after five terms in the Senate. Declaring that the remaining time in Congress will be free of partisan ties, it will be interesting if he continues with his tough talk on Iraq directed towards the current Bush policy. If he does, he might easily tilt the direction of the talk in the Senate due to his influence on military matters. The question is, who will the Virginia GOP tap to be his successor? Tom Davis has already motioned that he will likely run, but I do not believe this would be the best pick for the state. Jim Gilmore would be a good choice, but I don’t believe he could win if Mark Warner decides to run on the Democratic ticket. Whoever it will be, the party has one year to start screening potential candidates and begin marketing the person across the state in order to retain what was a reliable Republican seat.
Article: “Warner closes Senate career”
By Seth McLaughlin
CHARLOTTESVILLE — Sen. John W. Warner yesterday announced that he will not seek a sixth term next year, ending a maverick career in Congress that will have spanned 30 years when he steps down.
“I will conclude my service to Virginia as a senator when I complete this — my fifth — term on January 6, 2009,” Mr. Warner told a large crowd of supporters and reporters at the University of Virginia, where he went to law school more than 50 years ago.
(Article continues.)
His departure from the political stage opens the door for what many predict could be one of the most watched races in the country featuring political heavyweights such as Rep. Thomas M. Davis III and former Gov. James S. Gilmore III, both Republicans, and former Gov. Mark Warner, who is a Democrat and not related to the senator.
The Washington Times reported yesterday that the National Republican Senatorial Committee representatives traveled to Richmond last week to get opposition research from the state Republican Party on Mark Warner, who told The Times earlier this year he was being courted by state and national Democrats to run for the Senate next year.
Political observers say Mark Warner would be an immediate favorite, should he decide to run. He unsuccessfully challenged the senator in the 1996 Senate race.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gilmore, who recently ended his bid for his party’s nomination for the 2008 presidential race, has said he is “certainly interested” in running for the seat.
A congressional source close to Mr. Davis told The Times yesterday, “Tom’s running. He didn’t want to say more today because it’s the senator’s day.”
(Read the rest of the article here.)
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