Today, Mark Warner kicks off his bid to become Virginia's next U.S. Senator with a "flyaround" of the Commonwealth -- Abindgon, Roanoke, Norfolk, Richmond, Alexandria, and more. There are a number of articles in this morning's papers discussing the Senate race, including one by Tyler Whitley in the Richmond Times Dispatch.
Former Gov. Mark R. Warner will launch his campaign for the U.S. Senate today with a commanding lead in the polls and the money race.[...]
"Short of a scandal or a 'macaca moment,'" Warner should win the race easily, said Quentin Kidd, a political-science professor at Christopher Newport University. He was referring to a verbal gaffe by Republican George Allen that contributed to his 2006 Senate loss to Jim Webb.
But Mark Warner will never get overconfident, whether he's facing a failed governor like Jim "Drive Virginia into the Ditch" Gilmore or a right-wing extremist I like to call "Sideshow Bob."
Richmond political consultant and City Council candidate Paul Goldman, who helped manage Warner's campaign for governor in 2001, said Warner will not ignore Gilmore if he is the Republican candidate."He will take Gilmore seriously. He wants to win big," Goldman said.
So far, so good. As the AP's Bob Lewis writes this morning:
As Warner embarks Sunday on a four-day, 12-city aerial campaign kickoff tour, his advantages are stark. He raised $6.3 million through March to Gilmore's $747,000. Polls show him with a comfortable double-digit lead.
Still, let's all assume that the race is deadlocked and work accordingly. Remember that besides Mark Warner on the ballot this November, we'll have a presidential contest in which Virginia may very well be competitive for the first time in decades, as well as potential Democratic victories in the 11th, 10th, 2nd and 5th CDs. This will be an exciting fall campaign, and for Mark Warner, it kicks off today.
P.S. For Mark Warner's "flyaround" schedule, see here.
Gilmore was the 68th Governor.
Warner was the 69th Governor.
Maybe they're counting Godwin twice and I'm not? I don't know, but I always hear that Tim Kaine is the 70th Gov.