Senator Webb of Virginia has announced that he will not be running for re-election in 2012. Despite some brave talk from Senator Patty Murray, head of the Senate Democrat Campaign Committee, Webb's decision goes a long way towards returning this seat to the Republicans. Although Virginia voted for president Obama in 2008, it voted by a 17% margin for a Republican governor in 2009 and the Democrats lost half of their congressional seats in the Commonwealth in 2010. The Virginia tide has been moving strongly towards the GOP. Indeed, Webb's decision was most likely strongly influenced by his own analysis of his re-election chances.
The strongest candidate on the Democrat side, former governor Tim Kaine has already said that he would not run were Webb to retire. The other Democrats with name recognition are the defeated congressional candidates of 2010.
There still may be a bruising primary fight on the Republican side in 2012. If the GOP can manage to get through the primary with selecting a reasonably unflawed candidate, victory looks promising as of now. Of course, there is much time before the 2012 election and anything can happen, but today's news is not likely to make very many Democrats happy.
1 comment:
If Kaine does not run, the Ds probably can't retain the seat. The only way is a bruising R primary which could occur as Allen is probably considered a RINO by many of those who drink tea.
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