VA-SEN

Tim Kaine Launches Senate Bid In Virginia (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | April 5, 2011, 1:31PM

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine (VA)

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, who served as governor of Virginia from 2006-2010, has officially kicked off his much-expected campaign for Senate, for the seat held by retiring Dem Sen. Jim Webb.

In a YouTube video, Kaine touts his accomplishments as governor, saying he attracted business to the state and was praised for his fiscal management.

"I'm running for the United States Senate because America has big challenges," says Kaine. "And I'm convinced that Virginia has answers to help strengthen our nation."

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VA-SEN

DNC: Kaine 'Increasingly Likely' To Run

Eric Kleefeld | March 14, 2011, 1:55PM

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine

The Democratic National Committee is responding to online reports that DNC chairman Tim Kaine said he would run for Senate in Virginia, where he was previously governor and where Dem Sen. Jim Webb is retiring -- saying instead that it is "already widely known" that Kaine is "increasingly likely" to make the race.

Earlier on Monday, Larry Sabato tweeted that Kaine had told a class at the University of Richmond, where he teaches a class on law and leadership, that he would run for Senate.

"In response to a student's question, Governor Kaine told his law school class today what is already widely known which is that he is increasingly likely to run," said DNC communications director Brad Woodhouse, in a statement.

"However, no final decision will be made or announced until the governor has had a final round of consultations with folks about how he can best serve the President, the people and the causes he cares about; he is assured that the Democratic Party will be in good hands should he choose to make the race and leave the DNC; he has the support that would be necessary to mount a successful campaign and he completes commitments for travel and fundraising he has made to the Party and the President through at least the end of the month."

VA-SEN

Poll: Top Dem and GOPer Tied For 2012 Virginia Senate Race

Jon Terbush | March 2, 2011, 8:51AM

Former Sen. George Allen (R-VA) and Chairman of the Democratic Committee Tim Kaine (D-VA)

With Virginia Sen. Jim Webb (D) retiring at the end of his term, the race to replace him in 2012 looks like a total toss up, according to a new PPP poll.

In the poll, the strongest potential candidate from each party -- former Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine and former Republican Sen. George Allen -- topped every challenger thrown against them. Yet in a head-to-head match-up, Kaine and Allen tied at 47% apiece.

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VA-Sen

Harry Reid Jumps On The 'Draft Kaine' Bandwagon

Evan McMorris-Santoro | February 16, 2011, 10:36AM

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NY)

The White House isn't the only place where DNC chair Tim Kaine's future is being debated. Huffington Post's Sam Stein reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has also been courting Kaine to run for Senate in Virginia, now that Sen. Jim Webb (D) has retired.

According to Stein, Reid has "privately encouraged" Kaine to run in the race that would pit the former governor of Virginia against the winner of the Republican nomination fight currently led by former Sen. George Allen.

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VA-Sen

Report: White House To Talk To Tim Kaine About VA-SEN

Evan McMorris-Santoro | February 15, 2011, 6:22PM

Tim Kaine, DNC chair

Democrats are so far without a mainstream candidate in the upcoming race for Senate in Virginia, and reports are the White House is looking to fill the hole with DNC chair Tim Kaine.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that Kaine will meet with President Obama "in the next day or two" about running in place of the retiring Sen. Jim Webb (D).

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VA-SEN

PPP: Virginia Senate Still A Toss-Up -- And Kaine Tests Well Against Allen

Eric Kleefeld | February 9, 2011, 2:25PM

Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) and DNC chair Tim Kaine

So does the retirement of Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) increase the vulnerability that Democrats might face against Republican former Sen. George Allen, who narrowly lost to Webb in 2006? Perhaps not, so argues Public Policy Polling (D) -- and Allen doesn't seem like any sort of sure thing.

Back in mid-November, a PPP survey of Virginia found that Tim Kaine, the current chairman of the Democratic National Committee and formerly the governor of Virginia, tested just as well or perhaps even better than Webb. Against Allen, Webb led by 49%-45%, while Kaine scored 50%-44%.

PPP's Tom Jensen writes today: "24 hours ago Virginia looked like a toss up. And Jim Webb or no Jim Webb, I think it still does."

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Pres '12

Obama And DNC Gearing Up For 2012 With Staff Reshuffling

Eric Kleefeld | January 20, 2011, 2:49PM

President Barack Obama and DNC Chair Tim Kaine

In some big news, President Obama is running for re-election. Well, we knew that already -- but his campaign is gearing up with some important staff reshuffles.

As the Chicago Tribune reports, Obama has made the much-anticipated decision that Chicago will host his campaign headquarters. This is a departure from recent history, compared to presidents in the past few decades who based their re-election campaigns in the D.C. metropolitan area. It is believed that an anti-Washington climate may have contributed to the decision.

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George Allen

PPP Poll: Virginia Republicans Want Former Sen. George Allen In 2012

Marc Kilstein | November 18, 2010, 3:02PM

Former Sen. George Allen (R-VA)

Former Sen. George Allen (R-VA), perhaps best remembered for blowing a seemingly guaranteed re-election bid in 2006, appears to be Virginia Republicans' clear preference for the 2012 Senate race, according to a newly released Public Policy Polling survey.

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VA-SEN

PPP Poll: Dem Jim Webb Leads Potential Virginia Senate Challengers

Howard Polikoff | November 17, 2010, 1:55PM

Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA)

A new Public Policy Polling (D) survey shows Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) with an early lead in his possible 2012 re-election bid. This comes on the heels of numbers showing President Obama leading the top 2012 Republican presidential contenders in Virginia.

And if former Gov. Tim Kaine was the Democrats' Senate nominee in Virginia? He's ahead of prominent Virginia Republicans, too.

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Tim Kaine

Kaine: Dems Will Lose The House

Brian Beutler | November 2, 2010, 10:10PM

Tim Kaine, DNC chair

Speaking to reporters at DNC headquarter moments ago, Chairman Tim Kaine told reporters that Democrats will lose the House of Representatives and the majority of governors mansions across the country.

In the end, he said, there will be "a Democrat in White House, a majority of Republican governors, a Democratic Senate, and a Republican house."

When asked if Speaker Nancy Pelosi should remain in Democratic leadership when her party becomes the minority, Kaine spoke her praises.

"If she wants to she definitely should. She has done a very good job of accomplishing things that i think are going to be very well regarded in history in terms of Speakers who been able to get things done."

2010 elections

Kaine Says Dems Can't Take Delaware For Granted

Christina Bellantoni | October 14, 2010, 12:44PM

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine said this morning he won't help Democratic candidates with no chance at winning or those who will knock it out of the park with ease, but even though Delaware's Democratic Senate nominee Chris Coons is ahead by nearly 20 points in the TPM Poll Average, President Obama and Vice President Biden will hold a major rally in the state tomorrow.

Kaine told reporters at a breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor that his philosophy is, "I'm not going to give a courtesy gift to a person who is going to win and I'm not going to give s sympathy gift to a person who is going to lose."

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WV-SEN

Kaine On Manchin's Rifle Ad: 'I'm Not Wild About It'

Christina Bellantoni | October 14, 2010, 11:37AM

Joe Manchin and Tim Kaine

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine said this morning he doesn't love West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin's much ballyhooed Senate ad featuring the Democrat firing his rifle at the "cap-and-trade" climate bill, but the gun isn't the problem.

"I'm not wild about it," Kaine told reporters at the Christian Science Monitor breakfast this morning.

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2010 elections

Dems To Define GOP With 'Republican-Tea Party Contract With America' (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | July 28, 2010, 6:00AM

Tim Kaine, DNC chair

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine today will announce a new party initiative aimed at defining the Republicans who want to win control of Congress as tea partiers who want to repeal everything and abolish federal agencies.

A Democratic official offering TPM an early preview of what Kaine would say during an 11 a.m. press conference today with members of Congress framed the push as "a preemptive strike" against the Republican plans to roll out a new "contract" with America for the fall elections.

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Sunday Shows

The Sunday Show Line-Ups

Eric Kleefeld | May 21, 2010, 4:05PM

Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA)

Here are the line-ups for the Sunday talk shows this weekend:

• ABC, This Week: Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele.

• CBS, Face The Nation: White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA).

• CNN, State Of The Union: Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA), Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN), BP managing director Bob Dudley.

• Fox News Sunday: Former Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK), Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele.

• NBC, Meet The Press: Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA), Senate nominee Rand Paul (R-KY), National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (R-TX), Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ).

Late Update: Rand Paul has canceled his Meet The Press appearance, citing exhaustion.

2010 elections

Steele Calls For Outreach To Minorities But Slams Dems For Doing Same Thing

Christina Bellantoni | May 4, 2010, 8:18AM

RNC Chairman Michael Steele at the 12th Annual National Convention for Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, a not-for-profit civil rights organization

President Obama joked that RNC Chairman Michael Steele is his "brother" at a fancy dinner in Washington over the weekend, ribbing him as having the nickname "Notorious GOP."

The quip provoked laughter but also spotlights the delicate politics of race that have plagued Obama and Steele since both assumed power in 2009. The latest iteration came last week when Steele and DNC Chariman Tim Kaine sparred over the Democrats' announced plan to boost turnout among minority voters to help their chances in the 2010 midterm elections.

When he took over the GOP, Steele was mocked roundly for saying he wanted to reach out to blacks and young voters by giving the Republicans a "hip-hop" makeover. He told The Washington Times then the Republicans had to find "messengers to really capture that region - young, Hispanic, black, a cross section."

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2010 elections

Dem '10 Strategy: Get First-Time '08 Voters To Make It A Second Time

Christina Bellantoni | April 28, 2010, 5:42PM

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine

Democratic National Committee Chariman Tim Kaine today outlined a new strategy aimed at keeping his party's large Congressional majority in this fall's midterm elections, and it's mainly geared around preserving the young, diverse voting coalition that helped elected President Obama in 2008.

He said the DNC will try to get those 15 million new, first-time voters from 2008 to show up in an election that does not attract as much interest by having Democratic grassroots operatives make "hand-to-hand" communication with them. He said if the DNC speaks frequently to these voters (1.3 million in Texas, 400,000 in Ohio and 750,000 in Colorado) and remind them that their vote for Democrats is integral to Obama's success that will make the difference. He said they are above all else loyal to Obama.

"We know who they are," Kaine (D-VA) said on a call today for reporters and bloggers. "If we are able to significantly increase by 8 to 10 percent, it can have a sizable affect."

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Threats to Congress

Steele Declines To Sign DNC 'Joint Civility Statement'

Christina Bellantoni | March 26, 2010, 5:57PM

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine and RNC Chairman Michael Steele

The Democratic National Committee says that Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele has declined to sign on to a joint statement written by DNC Chairman Tim Kaine that condemns threats made to members of Congress from both parties. The draft text of the statement says that while Steele and Kaine disagree on the health care bill, they would "together call on elected officials of both parties to set an example of the civility we want to see in our citizenry" and ask "all Americans to respect differences of opinion, to refrain from inappropriate forms of intimidation, to reject violence and vandalism, and to scale back rhetoric that might reasonably be misinterpreted by those prone to such behavior."

DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse told reporters that Kaine sent the letter to Steele today and then phoned him asking the chairman to release a joint bipartisan statement "condemning the threats and acts of vandalism over the past week, calling for an end to such tactics and urging a more civil tone in our politics." "This afternoon, Chairman Steele, through staff, declined Chairman Kaine's offer," Woodhouse said.

RNC spokesman Doug Heye told TPMDC that Steele did reject the request. He said Steele was among the first to condemn threats in an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" with Kaine last weekend.

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Sunday Shows

The Sunday Show Line-Ups

Eric Kleefeld | March 26, 2010, 3:34PM

Former state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL)

Here are the line-ups for the Sunday talk shows this weekend:

• ABC, This Week: White House Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett, Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA), Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS).

• CBS, Face The Nation: Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN).

• CNN, State Of The Union: White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD).

• Fox News Sunday: Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL), former state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R-FL).

• NBC, Meet The Press: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

Barack Obama

Obama Surprises Kaine With Call To Radio Show

Rachel Slajda | December 22, 2009, 12:57PM

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and President Barack Obama

President Obama surprised Virginia Gov. and DNC Chair Tim Kaine with a call into Kaine's radio show this morning, identifying himself as "Barry from D.C."

"I just wanted to say how proud we are of your service as governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia," Obama said.

"We continue to think your wife is probably a little superior to you, as I think people think about the first lady, but you and me have to stick together since we're married to better people," he added.

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State Dinner Crashers

Tareq Salahi Donated To Virginia Pols And Sold $25K Worth Of Wine For Kaine Inaugural

Christina Bellantoni | November 27, 2009, 7:26PM

Tareq Salahi, DNC chair Tim Kaine and Michaele Salahi

We already know that now-famed party crashers Michaele and Tareq Salahi of Hume in Faquier County in Virginia like to pose with celebrities and top politicians, but they also dabble a bit in local political donations.

Tareq Salahi, who owns Oasis Winery, has made two donations large enough to make the federal database - $600 to Republican George Allen's first campaign for the U.S. Senate in Virginia and $1,000 to Rep. Jim Moran's (D-VA) primary campaign in 2006.

Virginia Public Access Project records show that Tim Kaine's inaugural committee bought $25,000 worth of Oasis wine for an event held the night before Kaine's inauguration in 2006 as governor of Virginia.

TPMDC tonight interviewed state Delegate Dave Albo, a Republican from Northern Virginia.

Albo is a longtime friend of the Salahis, even attending an ACDC concert with them recently.

"They are really fun and very nice," he said.

Albo said the Salahis spend a lot of time at social events.

"They are the kind of people who would get invited to something like that," Albo said.

As I reported earlier, they have attended events at the executive mansion and were involved with Virginia tourism promotion and active in the state's winery association.

Salahi also donated $2,500 to a Democratic candidate for delegate in 2007.

Tim Kaine

Kaine: Deeds Was 'Nervous' About Virginia Electorate, Shouldn't Have Distanced Himself From Obama

Eric Kleefeld | November 17, 2009, 4:03PM

DNC Chair Tim Kaine and unsuccessful VA-GOV candidate Creigh Deeds (D)

DNC chairman Tim Kaine, the outgoing Governor of Virginia, told the Washington Post that Democratic nominee Creigh Deeds made some key mistakes in his landslide defeat to Republican Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell -- mainly failing to tie himself to President Obama and thus mobilize Democrats:

"After the [June] primary was done, his advisers basically said, distance yourself from the president. We think we have our base locked down, we've got to win independents. And we're going to win by being negative about McDonnell," Kaine said. "That was the basic strategy they pursued, despite some significant urging to the contrary."

...

Kaine said the key to victory for Democrats in a highly competitive Virginia is recognizing that party members need not be "apologetic" about their affiliation to find success. He noted that about 200,000 more people voted in the Democratic primary for president on a frigid February day in 2008 than cast ballots for Deeds this year, and said McDonnell successfully spooked Deeds by suggesting that Virginians had grown anxious about the Democratic agenda.

"I think the issue of being nervous about the Virginia electorate was overdone and I think Creigh did exactly what the McDonnell campaign hoped he would do, which was distance himself from the president and national issues," Kaine said.

Sunday Shows

The Sunday Show Line-Ups

Eric Kleefeld | November 6, 2009, 2:18PM

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine and RNC Chairman Michael Steele

Here are the line-ups for the Sunday talk shows this weekend:

• ABC, This Week: RNC chairman Michael Steele, DNC chairman Tim Kaine

• CBS, Face The Nation: Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX), Republican political consultant Ed Rollins, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ).

• CNN, State Of The Union: Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell (R-VA).

• Fox News Sunday: Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell (R-VA), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), former New York Times reporter Jayson Blair, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT).

• NBC, Meet The Press: Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS), Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA).

VA-GOV

National Dems Pumping $5 Million Into Virginia Gubernatorial Race

Eric Kleefeld | September 2, 2009, 6:28PM

VA-GOV Candidates Creigh Deeds (D) and Bob McDonnell (R)

The Democratic National Committee is pumping some serious cash into the Virginia gubernatorial race, with $5 million set to go to Democratic nominee Creigh Deeds and the state Dems.

Deeds currently trails Republican Bob McDonnell in the polls, but is hoping to capitalize on McDonnell's weaknesses -- especially the hard-right manifesto that McDonnell wrote as a 34-year-old for Pat Robertson's Regent University.

It should of course be noted that DNC chairman Tim Kaine's current day job is being the current Governor of Virginia. So if the GOP were to win this one, he'd hardly look good at all, now would he?

VA-GOV

Tim Kaine Blasts McDonnell's Right-Wing Thesis

Eric Kleefeld | August 31, 2009, 3:01PM

DNC Chair Tim Kaine

DNC chairman and outgoing Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine is now hopping on the organized party assault against Bob McDonnell, the Republican nominee for Governor of Virginia, over the thesis McDonnell wrote 20 years ago describing a comprehensive religious-right political philosophy and political plan of action.

In an e-mail sent out to supporters of his state political PAC, Moving Virginia Forward, Kaine asks recipients to read the Washington Post's article on the thesis.

"After years of working with Bob, I believe this article is an accurate reflection of his sincere and long-standing views," Kaine says. "But I do not believe that this philosophy, which Bob has worked strenuously to implement as an elected official, is the right direction for Virginia. In fact, I think it would take us backwards and jeopardize much of the success we have achieved in the Commonwealth in recent years."

Check out the e-mail after the jump.

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