Friday, April 22, 2011

GOP U.S. Senate race ... and then there were five

In the race to gain name recognition, politics often pulls in candidates who have little chance to win but they gain name recognition for the next round of campaigning in the future.

Perhaps that is the case for some in the 2012 Virginia U.S. Senate race as the field becomes more crowded and additional names are tossed into the ring.

The latest is a Northern Virginia business owner named Timothy Donner. Spotted at the recent Republican Party of Virginia's Ronald Reagan dinner in Richmond, he was overheard speaking to those around him about his plans to run.

As he spoke, former Governor and U.S. Senator and current candidate George Allen was nearby, surrounded by supporters who pressed in close to speak and pose with him for photographs.

Three other candidates are vying for the Republican nomination: tea partier Jamie Radtke, tea partier Bishop Jackson, and Hampton Roads attorney David McCormick. Reportedly, Donner falls in line with the tea party philosophy, too.

The Democrats have recruited former Governor and major Obama supporter Tim Kaine for their candidate.

Most political pundits see an Allen-Kaine match-up that would put Virginia into play as one of the eight most-watched states in the country during the 2012 elections. With Barack Obama up for reelection, the eyes of the nation will be watching to see if the Commonwealth that turned purple in 2008, but that has been turning red in elections since, will continue the "red" trend.

Stay tuned....

No comments: