Today's edition of Roll Call has a fascinating article by Lauren W. Whittington entitled, "George Allen Torpedoed? Webb?s Senate Bid Complicates Incumbent?s White House March." The most important conclusion is that George Allen is now in for a real race, forcing him to spend millions of dollars instead of "coast[ing] to re-election." Still, Roll Call considers Allen to be the "heavy favorite" in the race, a conclusion which I believe wildly overestimates Allen and seriously underestimates Webb. Anyway, time will tell, but my overall attitude is GOOD, keep overestimating Allen and underestimating Webb!Meanwhile, here's what former Navy SEAL and Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-NE) had to say about Webb:
I think he has an extremely unique and important voice and I would love for him to be able to use that voice in the United States Senate. I think he can say things with authority that not very many people can; about our military, about our middle-class, about our role in the world, based upon his own experiences and his own knowledge....I told him that I?ll be his national finance chair if he wants, whatever he wants me to do to help him be successful in the primary and be successful in the general.
Meanwhile, Steve Jarding - the man behind Mark Warner's winning 2001 gubernatorial campaign - is helping Webb as well. Jarding noted that Webb was a "fresh face" and added:
Karl Rove said a couple of weeks ago, Republicans are going to make this 2006 election all about security and the war. Jim Webb is the perfect candidate to say, OK, I?m going to take that challenge."
And I particularly loved this quote from Jarding:
We?ve spent a generation seeing Democrats defect to the Republicans and here is arguably one of the highest profile defections from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party. The upside to this candidacy and the capacity for this to be a very interesting race now is set.
The main question for Democrats now is whether or not they will choose to have a primary or a nominating convention. A decision is to be made this weekend, prior to the annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Richmond. If you know anyone on the Democratic Party's Central Committee or Steering Committee, give them a call and tell them you want a primary. It's the Democratic, as well as the democratic (small "d"), thing to do.
By the way, Roll Call has a few more details on Webb:
Webb currently lives in Northern Virginia but his roots lie in culturally conservative Southwestern Virginia and Gate City, the home of former state Attorney General Jerry Kilgore (R). He has a son in the Marines who is headed for service in Iraq.
Gate City, huh? And here I thought I'd never think of that place as anything other than the home of Willie Mae, Jerry, and Terry Kilgore! Will wonders never cease?