It's not officially official yet, but Republican Attorney General Bob McDonnell confirmed on Tuesday that he's on board for a McDonnell-Bolling ticket for 2009.
Speaking on a conference call with more than a dozen members of the Capitol Square press corps, McDonnell said he was looking forward to running for the Executive Mansion with current Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling seeking another four years at the helm of the Virginia Senate.
Bolling's decision to take the second slot on the Republican ticket evaporates what would have been a hotly contested primary between the two men.
It also leaves open the question of who will be the third member of the ticket, the nominee for Attorney General. Current Senators Ken Cuccinelli, R-Fairfax, and Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, are both members of the bar who have been floated as possibilities.
Still, with the GOP scrum settled before it even began, the two can start raising money and building a campaign organization aimed at November 2009. That puts the pressure on Democrats to choose between Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath County, and Del. Brian Moran, D-Alexandria, in a fairly quick fashion, lest the fall prey to the endless struggle that has plagued Democratic presidential contenders, Sens. Hillary R. Clinton, D-N.Y., and Barack H. Obama, D-Ill.
Speaking of Obama, there's always the Kaine wild card. Democratic Gov.Timothy M. Kaine was an early Obama backer and has been mentioned as a cabinet possibility in an Obama administration or even a dark horse vice presidential pick.
That would give the governor's mansion to Bolling outright and would more than likely shake up the GOP's 2009 campaign calculus, according to McDonnell.
Only 588 days until Election Day.
Speaking on a conference call with more than a dozen members of the Capitol Square press corps, McDonnell said he was looking forward to running for the Executive Mansion with current Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling seeking another four years at the helm of the Virginia Senate.
Bolling's decision to take the second slot on the Republican ticket evaporates what would have been a hotly contested primary between the two men.
It also leaves open the question of who will be the third member of the ticket, the nominee for Attorney General. Current Senators Ken Cuccinelli, R-Fairfax, and Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, are both members of the bar who have been floated as possibilities.
Still, with the GOP scrum settled before it even began, the two can start raising money and building a campaign organization aimed at November 2009. That puts the pressure on Democrats to choose between Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath County, and Del. Brian Moran, D-Alexandria, in a fairly quick fashion, lest the fall prey to the endless struggle that has plagued Democratic presidential contenders, Sens. Hillary R. Clinton, D-N.Y., and Barack H. Obama, D-Ill.
Speaking of Obama, there's always the Kaine wild card. Democratic Gov.Timothy M. Kaine was an early Obama backer and has been mentioned as a cabinet possibility in an Obama administration or even a dark horse vice presidential pick.
That would give the governor's mansion to Bolling outright and would more than likely shake up the GOP's 2009 campaign calculus, according to McDonnell.
Only 588 days until Election Day.
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