Democratic Party Chairman Kaine to Run for Virginia Senate Seat
April 05, 2011, 1:53 PM EDT By Laura Litvan
April 5 (Bloomberg) -- Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine said he will run for the U.S. Senate in Virginia in next year’s election, bolstering his party’s chances of keeping the open seat by having a proven fundraiser and former governor of the state in the race. Kaine, 53, made the announcement on a video posted on a website established for his candidacy. Sitting on the porch steps of his home in Richmond, Kaine said he is seeking the open Senate seat “because America has big challenges and I’m convinced that Virginia has answers to strengthen our nation.”
He touted his record as the state’s governor, such as recruiting efforts that helped companies including Ikea Group and Roll Royce Group Plc establish facilities in the state.
The seat opened up when Senator James Webb, a Democrat who won the seat in one of 2006’s most competitive races, said last month he won’t seek re-election. Former Republican Senator George Allen, whom Webb defeated, is already in the race, along with Republican Jamie Radtke, the Richmond Tea Party chairwoman.
Democrats control the 100-member Senate with 53 votes, and their risk of losing the chamber to Republicans in 2012 has risen with a series of retirements from incumbents in their party. While Kaine had previously said he didn’t want to run, other Virginia Democrats, including Democratic Senator Mark Warner, urged him to get into the race.
Obama Ally
Kaine was elected Virginia governor in 2005 with 52 percent of the vote and was mayor of Richmond from 1998 to 2001. A close ally of President Barack Obama, he was a co-chairman of Obama’s 2008 campaign and was considered a possible vice-presidential pick. He was elected Democratic Party chairman in January 2009.
Under Kaine’s leadership, the Democratic National Committee raised $225 million in 2009 and 2010 compared with $196 million for the Republican National Committee, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks donations. In the previous midterm election cycle, 2005-06, the Republicans raised $243 million and the Democrats trailed with $131 million.
On March 2, Senator Daniel Akaka of Hawaii became the fifth Democratic caucus member to announce he won’t run for re- election in 2012. Along with Webb, Democratic Senators Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico and Kent Conrad of North Dakota said they will retire, as has independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who caucuses with the Democrats.
Republican Senators John Ensign of Nevada, Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas and Jon Kyl of Arizona have also said they won’t seek re-election in 2012.
Republican Wins
While Obama carried Virginia in 2008 -- the first Democrat to do so in 44 years -- Republicans won three Democratic-held House seats in last fall’s elections, and Republican Robert McDonnell won the governorship in 2009.
Allen, a former Virginia governor, was favored to win re- election in 2006 until a campaign gaffe less than three months before the vote.
In a speech to voters, he referred to a Webb campaign aide as “macaca.” The remark is considered a racial slur in some countries, referring to a macaque, a kind of monkey.
Allen later said he made up the word and apologized for using it to refer to the Indian-American man who was videotaping him. Still, that campaign mistake combined with a wave of support for Democratic candidates that year helped Webb defeat Allen, 50 percent to 49 percent.
--With assistance from Jonathan D. Salant in Washington. Editors: Don Frederick, Laurie Asseo To contact the reporter on this story: Laura Litvan in Washington at llitvan@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Silva in Washington at msilva34@bloomberg.net
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