Virginia trio draws veep notice - Webb, Kaine, and Warner all mentioned as possible mates for Obama

[jefferson_dem]

Virginia trio draws veep notice
By DAVID PAUL KUHN | 5/24/08 6:46 AM EST Text Size:



Virginia’s sudden rise to prominence as a leading “purple” state has made its top politicians a hot commodity this year.

Virginia’s sudden rise to prominence as a leading “purple” state — a prime candidate for Democrats to pick up in November — has made its top politicians a hot commodity this year. No fewer than three current or former statewide elected officials are drawing serious notice as possible running mates for front-runner Barack Obama.

Each of the Virginians — former Gov. Mark Warner, Gov. Tim Kaine and Sen. Jim Webb — won office by winning over constituencies that have been traditionally hostile to the Democratic Party, in a state the Republican presidential nominee has carried all but once since 1952. In 2004, Democratic nominee John F. Kerry lost Virginia by 8 percentage points.

Their ballot box success in a place that might prove critical in the November general election has not gone unnoticed by Democratic strategists and the media.

Warner might be the best known of the trio after exploring his own presidential run this election cycle. Elected in 2001 with unusually high support for a Democrat in rural portions of the state, Warner left the governorship four years later with an 80 percent approval rating, making him one of the most popular governors in the commonwealth's history.

“If the goal is to carry Virginia, the best pick would be Mark Warner,” said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.

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