Expected Virginia Govenor's Race for 2005: Jerry Kilgore (R) vs. Tim Kaine (D)

[Nascardude]

A little update here for any fellow freepers in Virginia. Next year will be the govenor's race. The current govenor, Mark Warner (D), will not be able to run due to state law that prevents any govenor from serving two consecutive terms in Virginia. And I heard it on the radio that early expectations are that current Attorney General Jerry Kilgore will most likely be the Republican Candidate. And he will probably be running against the current Lt. Gov Tim Kaine. Don't know much about either of these guys.

[iceskater]

That's how folks from southwest Virginia talk. Unlike carpetbaggers like Mark Warner - you can tell that Jerry is from these parts.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

Good point - Kaine is like Edwars lite.

[Corin Stormhands]

Is it me or does Kaine seem like the junior varsity version of John Edwards?

Kaine makes Edwards and sKerry look like fundamental religious right conservatives...

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

Kilgore's voice is disconcerting!

[Corin Stormhands]

I know that most VA AGs have run for Governor recently... do they usually resign the final year of their term?

I can't recall if Mary Sue Terrier resigned or not in 1993.

Jim Gimore resigned in 1997 and Mark Earley resigned in 2001.

[EagleClaw]

Kilgore (R) is AG, Kaine (D) is Lt. Governor. neither has "officially" announced yet, but both have been campaigning for some time. Each has raised about $3 million through PACs.

It will be an interesting race. Kilgore is from far southwest Virginia, very rural and conservative. Kaine is a former mayor of the city of Richmond and leans liberal. Neither one has deep roots in northern Virginia, which is a key in any statewide race in VA, although current Governor Warner (D) is from that area and could help.

Common wisdom is that Kilgore has slight advantage at this point, but he has been tarnished by an eavesdropping scandal related to the former state GOP director who ended up pleading guilty to a crime. Although Kilgore blew the whistle on the whole thing, members of his staff were implicated and the Dems have been milking it for all it's worth.

The VA legislative session starts in January, and the posturing will be mighty. Kaine as Lt. Gov. presides over state Senate and can vote as a tie breaker, so look for Republicans to try to get him on record on some tough issues.

VA went to Bush by about 8 points, but historically that has not been a good indicator of how statewide races will go.

The fields for the down-ticket offices in 2005 race, AG and Lt. Gov., are crowded on both sides at this point.

Neither has official campaign website at this point. Here's closest I can find:

http://kilgoreforgovernor.meetup.com/

http://www.timpac.org/

[Capablanca911]

I'm from Terry and Jerry's (they're twins) hometown of Gate City, Virginia. They are both great people.

What's wrong with our accent? lol

[Cosmo]

It really is. And you know, while it seems such a petty point to make, these image issues have a profound effect on people during a campaign. Alot of the more, uh (trying to be politically correct about this) "rural" Republican voters are apt to think Kilgore is gay. If I'm right about this, then we might just have a problem, no matter that he's been a solid AG from what I've seen and is perfectly qualified for the job.

[Gabz]

Kaine makes Edwards and sKerry look like fundamental religious right conservatives...

YIKES........that's truly scary.

I know next to nothing about either, so I will quietly sit back and learn.

Thanks for the pings!

[ken5050]

Thanks..good synopsis...you should blog the race..

[Cosmo]

Oh , so it's a regional thing?:)

I'm a New Yawk transplant whose heart has always resided in the benighted south. Virgil Goode required a major attitude adjustment on my part. I guess Kilgore will be a little easier now that I got ole Virgil figured out.

[angkor]

Kilgore won me a couple years ago when he wrote Mark Warner a letter explaining that if Warner wanted to sue the state (over whatever-it-was) that he'd have to hire his own personal lawyer to do so. What a hoot.

Here's a good article from 2003 highlighting Kilgore's stong points:

http://www3.roanoke.com/politics/bryant3.31.03.html

[Gone GF]

My wife is from Clintwood and I know that Kilgore's accent is relatively typical for far Southwest, but to people from other parts of the state, it sounds effiminate, almost gay. Seriously. I'm from the western part of the state and it sounds that way to me.

Kilgore is talking about eliminating the estate tax but so is Kaine.

[iceskater]

although current Governor Warner (D) is from that area and could help.

A minor point of clarification. Warner is NOT from Virginia (northern, central or whatever). He has lived in Northern Virginia but he is from Connecticut or other northeastern liberal state. He most certainly is not FROM Virginia.

[Corin Stormhands]

It really is. And you know, while it seems such a petty point to make, these image issues have a profound effect on people during a campaign. Alot of the more, uh (trying to be politically correct about this) "rural" Republican voters are apt to think Kilgore is gay.

Oh what pure and complete Barbra Streisand.

The folks in rural Virginia talk like Jerry Kilgore.

Besides, if being gay had anything to do with it Rick Boucher (D) wouldn't have been in Congress for the last 20 years...

[iceskater]

Nothing! That's how I know he's more authentic than that carpetbagging, tax-raising short-timer governor.

[Gone GF]

Oh come one, Kerry is so much more liberal than Kaine. Remember that Kaine beat a pretty conservative guy in the LG race.

[Corin Stormhands]

Kerry is so much more liberal than Kaine.

Not in his heart of hearts.

Remember that Kaine beat a pretty conservative guy in the LG race.

Jay Katzen was a weak candidate.

[iceskater]

Virgil is great - I am personally rooting for him to run for John Warner's senate seat should that senile old coot ever retire.

[Gone GF]

"The folks in rural Virginia talk like Jerry Kilgore."

In my experience only in far Southwest rural Virginia, not across the state. Not that I think it matters. He won the AG race with that accent.