Burnt Orange Report

Warner to Explore Exploring

By Karl-Thomas Musselman

Democratic Governor of Virginia Mark Warner, term limited out of office, has mentioned that he will likely set up his PAC/Exploratory team to run for the 2008 Dem Nomination for President.

The tax victory -- and Sen. John F. Kerry's loss in states such as Virginia in the presidential race -- helped propel Warner to national prominence. He is often mentioned along with Sens. Kerry (Mass.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), former senator John Edwards (N.C.) and Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico as possible Democratic contenders.

"Mark is seen as one of the most thoughtful, promising leaders we have in the party," said Simon Rosenberg, head of the New Democrat Network, a centrist group.

For the past year, Warner has been chairman of the National Governors Association, a position that gives him the freedom to travel the country.

Last week, he went to Iowa to prepare for the association's annual meeting in July and make the rounds of the state's top Democrats. In Iowa, Warner criticized Kerry for failing to appeal to moderates, according to the Associated Press. "I can't tell you where he ever broke with anything in Democratic orthodoxy," the AP quoted Warner as saying.

Warner would face significant disadvantages in a Democratic primary: He is little-known nationally, he is a centrist in a party where liberals dominate primaries, and much of the party establishment is lining up behind Clinton.

He's also hired one of Gore's top staffers, Monica Dixon. I guess there isn't a whole lot of that Gore v. Clinton love going on there, since we all know Hillary is giving it the eye...