Washington Post's Chris Cillizza on John Warner's big decision and the fallout:
Until Warner makes up his mind to retire or run again, this race is in a holding pattern. Warner has held the seat since 1978 and it's his as long as he wants it. But after the 2006 losses, Warner will no longer chair the Armed Services panel and, at age 79, may decide to call it a career. If he does, Rep. Tom Davis (R) is chomping at the bit to run but may not have the primary field to himself as a more conservative candidate could well jump in. Democrats pine for former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D) to make the race, but it seems strange that Warner would back out of a presidential bid in 2008 only to run for Senate that same year. The wins by Mark Warner, current Gov. Tim Kaine and Sen.-elect Jim Webb in the first [half] of this decade show that Virginia is no longer a Republican-leaning state. If John Warner steps aside, expected an all-out brawl.
This sounds about right, though I'd say it makes a lot of sense for Mark Warner to opt for a multi-month general campaign in his home state (no worries about a primary) over an exhausting two year national presidential primary and (if he's lucky) national general campaign. I take him at his word - and so should the media.
Anyway, AM has more here about Virginia in 2008, and our poll on the non-Mark Warner bench goes on here.