George Allen

George Allen Offers Emotional Apology For Macaca Incident

Evan McMorris-Santoro | June 3, 2011, 1:34PM

Former Sen. George Allen (R-VA)

George Allen is really sorry about that macaca thing. Five years after he threw the slur at a Democratic tracker during the 2006 Senate campaign, Allen offered a long and emotional apology to a small crowd at the Faith and Family Conference.

"During our last campaign, I never should have singled out that young man working for my opponent calling him a name," said Allen, who's running again for the seat he lost in 2006. "He was just doing his job."

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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

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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VA-SEN

George Allen: 'I Respect Senator Webb's Service To Our Country'

Eric Kleefeld | February 9, 2011, 1:42PM

Former Sen. George Allen (R-VA)

Former Sen. George Allen (R-VA), who is seeking a comeback to the Senate after he was defeated for re-election in 2006, has released a statement on the announcement that the man who defeated him, Democratic Sen. Jim Webb, is not running again.

"I respect Senator Webb's service to our country and the very personal decision that he and his family have made," writes Allen. "I did not enter into this race to run against any one person, but to fight for the families of Virginia to improve their opportunities in life. My campaign will continue to focus on achievable reforms that will help reinvigorate our economy, end reckless, runaway spending, and unleash our plentiful energy resources."

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VA-SEN

Sen. Jim Webb Retiring In Virginia

Eric Kleefeld | February 9, 2011, 11:46AM

Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA)

In a huge development for the 2012 Senate races, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) has announced that he will not seek re-election.

At first glance, Webb's retirement seems like it could make things even tougher for Democrats in a swing state, which Barack Obama carried as the first Democrat to do so since 1964, but where the Republicans made very strong gains in 2009 and 2010.

Webb, a Vietnam veteran and former Republican who had served in the Reagan administration, left the Republican Party due to the key issues of the Iraq War and economic inequality. He was then narrowly elected in an upset in 2006, defeating Republican Sen. George Allen -- who launched his own campaign last month, to try to win the seat back. Allen had previously been expected to win easily and then launch a 2008 presidential campaign. The trouble came in August 2006, of course, after he was videotaped by a Webb campaign tracker, who was Indian-American, calling the person "macaca," a type of monkey. This was widely interpreted as being a somewhat obscure racial slur, often used by French colonists in Africa -- which was the background of Allen's mother.

Webb had been hinting for some time that he was tired of politics, with weak fundraising and public comments criticizing President Obama's handling of the health care issue.

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2012 elections

George Allen Kicks Off 'American Comeback' Campaign For Old Senate Seat (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | January 24, 2011, 12:49PM

Former Sen. George Allen (R-VA)

Former Sen. George Allen (R-VA) has officially launched his campaign to run again for the Senate seat he held from 2001-2007, before he was defeated in a major upset by Democrat Jim Webb in 2006. Allen's campaign is being pitched as part of an "American comeback."

"The pivotal elections coming up in 2012 are gonna determine the trajectory of our country," Allen said in his YouTube announcement video. "Whether the opportunity to achieve the American Dream will continue to decline, or begin to ascend again.

"Friends, it's time for an American comeback. A comeback with leaders in Washington who listen to 'We the People,' adhere to foundational principles, rein in spending, and start creating opportunities for more jobs."

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VA-SEN

Report: George Allen To Launch Comeback Senate Bid Today

Eric Kleefeld | January 24, 2011, 9:35AM

Former Sen. George Allen (R-VA)

Can George Allen rise again?

The former Republican Senator from Virginia is set to announce today that he will run for the Senate once more, seeking a rematch against Democratic Sen. Jim Webb, who narrowly defeated him in the Democratic wave of 2006 -- aided quite heavily by Allen's own various missteps.

Allen narrowly lost his 2006 re-election, after he had previously been expected to win easily and then launch a 2008 presidential campaign. The trouble came in August 2006, of course, after he was videotaped by a Webb campaign tracker, who was Indian-American, calling the person "macaca," a type of monkey. This was widely interpreted as being a somewhat obscure racial slur, often used by French colonists in Africa -- which was the background of Allen's mother.

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VA-SEN

Report: George Allen To Launch Comeback Senate Campaign Soon

Eric Kleefeld | January 17, 2011, 10:56AM

Former Sen. George Allen (R-VA)

We may not have seen the last of former Sen. George Allen (R-VA) -- and what's more, we could be in for a top-tier rematch between him and Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), who defeated Allen in 2006.

Politico's Mike Allen reports:

George Allen, the former U.S. senator and Virginia governor, plans to tell supporters within a week that he is mounting a campaign to retake the Senate seat he lost to Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) in 2006. Allen, 58, the most prominent 2012 challenger to announce so far, has begun to line up key staff members. Webb, 64, who won by 1 percent, has sent mixed signals about whether he will seek reelection. DNC Chairman Tim Kaine, a former Virginia governor who could be the Democratic nominee if Webb bowed out, has been telling friends he thinks Webb will run.

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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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Bush Tax Cuts

Jim Webb Iffy On Tax Cuts, Worries $250k Cutoff Too Low

Christina Bellantoni | September 22, 2010, 9:29AM

Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA)

Sen. Jim Webb might be joining the ranks of several Senate Democrats who think the Bush-era tax cuts should be extended to help people who earn more than $250,000 per year.

A spokesman for Webb (D-VA) told TPM that the senator is negotiating the specifics with the Democratic leadership, talking about potential alternatives to their favored plan being championed by President Obama.

"He is definitely in favor of passing tax cuts," said Webb spokesman Will Jenkins. "He is still discussing the specifics with his colleagues, but he has said that he thinks the proposed $250,000 cut off level is too low, and he is advocating that it be raised."

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