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UPDATED: Senator John Warner R-VA to Retire
Washington Post: Va. Senator Warner Will Not Seek a Sixth Term
Retirement is unwelcome news for Republicans who hope to take control of the Senate next year.
UPDATE – Chris Cillizza of The Fix has a few comments:
Va. Senate: A Golden Opportunity for Democrats
Sen. John Warner’s (R-Va.) decision not to seek a sixth term in 2008 places his seat in serious peril next November, with Democrats expected to clear the way for popular former Gov. Mark Warner and Republicans headed toward an ideological primary.
7 Responses to “UPDATED: Senator John Warner R-VA to Retire”
Any Republican who thinks that they can win a majority in the Senate is smoking crack. The Republicans will be lucky if they can keep the Democrats from getting to 60 seats. Of course, if the Democrats to not get the 60 this year, they will probably just have to wait two more years before they make the Republicans irrelevant.
Sen Warner is getting out at the right time. The Senate is becoming as bruisingly partisan as the House, and Warner is known for being a courtly gentleman-its not really his speed. He is well-respected among both parties, and will be missed by many.
Sounds like the kind of republican who should stay and get their party back on track. Gotta have a few good ones there to keep the Dems on track so they don’t mess it up in their own special way.
He’s from the old school- that still believed in compromise and building consensus- but he’s 80 years old, and political life in Washington is brutal even to the young and hardy.
One positive note- ex-governor Mark Warner will probably run against ex-gov Gilmore. Warner, a moderate businessman, was a very popular governor of Va, the present governor Tim Kaine rode in on his coattails. Gilmore was very controversial, and plunged the state into massive budget woes because he wouldn’t raise taxes.
As a person who frequently agrees with so-called moderate Republicans, it is indeed a shame to see him go. Of course, at 80, I think he deserves to go play golf or whatever he enjoys for a while.
I will miss him. Warner is the Senate’s gentlemant.
He definitely is becoming a remnant from a bygone era of congeniality in the Senate– his leaving is everyone’s loss. Warner’s conservative- but was willing to stand up to ideologues on torture, the election of Oliver North, the war in Iraq and the nomination of Robert Bork (which he opposed). He endured the loss of the RNC’s support for some of those positions, of course was labeled a RINO, but earned the love of his constituents- the people of Virginia. That, and those who serve us in the military are what meant the most to him.