After only raising $500 in the 1stQ of 2007, fanning the rumor mill that he’d be retiring, Sen. John Warner came back in the 2ndQ raising $70,497.36. During this same quarter, he only expended $16,188.50, leaving him with $734,494.91 Cash On Hand.
Sen. Warner is notorious for putting off fundraising and late starts to campaigns. While he still might choose to retire, I wouldn’t place any bets on it. At this point six years ago, Warner had just a little over $1 million Cash On Hand. Warner only raises money when he needs to and by not stating his intentions, he freezes the race and with it his need to raise money.
After having dispatched Marky Mark back in ‘96, I’m sure that John Warner is even less afraid of him now that Marky Mark has a record he has to defend and be held accountable for, including his Enron-style accounting as governor – misplacing $137 million meant for education, forecasting a deficit requiring a $1.4 billion tax increase and then having the state show a $1.4 billion surplus, little things like that. Not to mention his utter failure to get either of his tax hike schemes approved by the voters. Mediocrity like this doesn’t come along every day.
So, the drama will continue regarding whether John Warner will retire or not right up until we hear the definitive word from the man himself. I just can’t see him settling for the honorific of former U.S. Senator, though.
Filed under: 2008 Elections, Virginia Politics
I’m not so sure. If Warner continues to meddle with the separation of powers and continues to undermine the impressive efforts of General Petraeus, I could see him being very, very, very vulnerable to a challenge from the right (say Governor Gilmore). One of the things about limiting governors to one term is that it creates a deep bench and right now, we have two guys, George Allen and Jim Gilmore, who are sitting there looking for something to do. Either guy is more palatable then the often-wobbly Warner. While Allen isn’t going to try and make a run at the Senate again, would anyone be suprised if he goes after the Governor’s office again? if he does, where does Gilmore go? Not to mention Bolling?
The fact is Warner is an octogenarian who seems hell bent on pissing off the base of the party with respect to Iraq. If he does intend to run again, he ought to tread a bit more lightly.