U.S. Common Sense

Source:  Richmond Times-Dispatch - 10/14/2007

Thoughts: What are the chances? A former presidential candidate running for the open Senate seat against a candidate that many thought would run for President? Or how about a former Governor running against the person who replaced him as Governor? Sounds like something which politics fans would create in a fantasy match-up, doesn’t it? Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction.

This scenario is shaping up in Virginia this fall as former Governors Jim Gilmore and Mark Warner are projected to be the Republican and Democratic candidates for the vacant U.S. Senate seat left behind by Senator John Warner as he retires at the end of his term. Many Republicans (on the national level) know of Jim Gilmore from his Presidential run earlier this year, but due to poor polling and a lack of funds, Mr. Gilmore decided to end his run earlier in the cycle rather than prolong the inevitable.

Mark Warner, on the other hand, is more known in the Democratic inner-circles rather than on the national scene. In 2001, Mark Warner replaced Jim Gilmore as Governor of Virginia. In Virginia, the Governor cannot run for reelection for a consecutive term. Both Gilmore and Warner are popular in their respective state parties, and many wondered who would win if the two were to run for Governor again. In a way, they might get to see their fantasy campaign come about, if Gilmore can win the party nomination over Rep. Tom Davis.

Article:  “GOP Senate convention seen as boost for Gilmore”
By Tyler Whitley

Republican leaders gave former Gov. Jim Gilmore’s prospective U.S. Senate candidacy a boost yesterday by voting to hold a convention rather than a nominating primary next year.

(Article continues.)

After learning of the 47-37 vote by the party’s state central committee, a pleased Gilmore said a convention would help the party save money and marshal its resources to take on Democrat Mark R. Warner next year.

Backers of Gilmore have said he would have a better chance of winning the nomination in a convention. Republican conventions tend to be dominated by conservatives, who would be likelier to vote for Gilmore.

The vote was a blow to the prospects of 11th District Rep. Thomas M. Davis III, who had sought a primary. Davis maintained that a primary would allow the party to broaden its base and appeal to more people.

John Hishta, an adviser to Davis, said Davis would wait until after the Nov. 6 General Assembly elections to decide whether to seek the Senate nomination.

There was speculation that the vote would dissuade Davis from running, but Hishta said it would play no role in Davis’ decision.

Davis did not attend the meeting at Mills Godwin High School in western Henrico County. He was in Northern Virginia helping his wife, state Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis, R-Fairfax County, run for re-election to the state Senate, Hishta said.

Warner, who succeeded Gilmore as Virginia’s governor, is not expected to face opposition for the Democratic nomination.

(Read the rest of the article here.)