Below The Beltway

Now that he’s formed an exploratory committee, Terry McAuliffe says that he will be traveling the state for next two months before deciding on whether he will go forward with a campaign for Governor:
RICHMOND, Va. — Former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe signed papers Monday necessary to run for governor in Virginia next year. [...]

It seems that the rumors are going to come true:
Terry McAuliffe, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, filed paperwork today to run for governor of Virginia next year.
McAuliffe said he’s still not certain he will formally enter the race, but plans to spend the next two months traveling around the state talking to [...]

Three things happened on Tuesday in Virginia.
First, Mark Warner sailed to election as Virginia’s new Senator after a campaign against Jim Gilmore that was never really a contest.
Second, Barack Obama became the first Democratic candidate for President since Lyndon Johnson to win Virginia’s Electoral Votes.
And, third, the political divide between Northern Virginia and the rest [...]

With all signs indicating that Virginia could very well go for a Democratic candidate for President for the first time since 1964, and the Virginia Senate race essentially over, the Washington Post’s Tim Craig reports on what may be signs that Virginia Republicans will have even more problems next year:
One year before voters go to [...]

Fox News is reporting that the race for the Democratic nomination for Virginia’s Governor is about to get a lot more interesting:
Terry McAuliffe, the former Democratic National Committee chairman and Clinton family confidant, plans to run for Virginia governor, FOX News has learned.
Democratic sources say McAuliffe will formally announce his bid in mid-November.
He has already [...]

It’s beginning to look like we’ll have a three-way contest for the Democratic nomination for Governor next year:
DOGUE, Va. — The Virginia Democratic State Central Committee voted yesterday to hold a primary next year to choose the party’s candidate for governor amid growing indications that there could be a three-way fight for the nomination.
Terry McAuliffe, [...]

The Post’s Tim Craig is reporting that Clinton adviser Terry McAuliffe is walking around Denver and talking about running for Governor of Virginia next year:
DENVER-Terry McAuliffe, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and a key adviser to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY.) is considering running for governor of Virginia next year.
McAuliffe spoke to [...]

Too Conservative compiles an interesting list of winners and losers from last weekend’s Republican convention in Richmond.
Here are a few of the more interesting ones, starting with a winner:
Democrats
Particularly Mark Warner. It’s not like Warner really needed a split GOP in order to cruise to victory, but his opponent winning with only 50.2% of the [...]

This doesn’t come as too much of a surprise, but the Republican ticket for Governor and Lt. Governor in 2009 has received a full party endorsement:
In a sign that Virginia Republicans are ready to move beyond their recent internal divisions, 50 elected and party officials announced today they are supporting Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell [...]

With Lt. Governor Bolling announcing today that he would run for re-election to Virginia’s second highest elected office, the Republican Gubernatorial nomination is, essentially, guaranteed to go to Attorney General Bob McDonnell.
And, as for Attorney General, Rick Sincere posts a speech by Fairfax Senator Ken Cuccinelli wherein he indicates, toward the end, that he would [...]