VA 2009: Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R) Will Not Run for Governor

[Frodo]

Bolling won't run for governor
 
Monday, Mar 24, 2008 - 02:51 PM
Updated: 04:39 PM

In a surprise move, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling said today he would not seek the Republican Party's nomination to run for governor in 2009. Instead, Bolling said he would run for re-election as lieutenant governor.

Bolling said he did not have the financial werewithal to devote to a full-time campaign for governor.

His announcement leaves Attorney General Bob McDonnell as the almost certain GOP gubernatorial candidate next year.

Bolling said a ticket of McDonnell and himself would be a formidable ticket against Democratic opposition in a state that is beginning to lean Democratic.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Bleah. He'll probably get re-elected too. Nobody wants to run for Lt. Governor.

[The Mikado]

Is this bad news for the GOP?  I don't know anything about McDowell other than that he won in one of the tightest races in VA history.

[Joe Republic]

How come the governor is limited to one term, but the lieutenant governor isn't?

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Is this bad news for the GOP?  I don't know anything about McDowell other than that he won in one of the tightest races in VA history.

McDonnell is a conservative who poses as a moderate to make himself look palatable to swing voters. His biggest failing so far is issuing a legal opinion that last year's transportation bill (which set up regional authorities with the power to levy taxes) was constitutional; said law has since been declared unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court. That's the quality of education that Regent Law School gets you, I guess.

He'll probably still get elected, just because he can eat into the Democratic base in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. He barely squeaked by in 2005 because the Democratic candidate, Creigh Deeds, ran to the right of him on some issues -- in one of the most bizarre pair of endorsements ever, the NRA endorsed Deeds and former Governor and Richmond Mayor Doug Wilder endorsed McDonnell.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

How come the governor is limited to one term, but the lieutenant governor isn't?

Southern tradition (limiting the power of the governor) that Virginia is the final holdout on for some reason. Allowing two consecutive terms gets kicked around the legislature every year or two, but never passes.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I'd say this is good news for the Virginia Democrats.  In a Deeds v. McDonnell rematch, Deeds may very well win.

[MAS117]

I'd love to see Deeds drop out of the Governors race and run for LT.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I'd love to see Deeds drop out of the Governors race and run for LT.

He's better off running for Governor; he barely lost AG in '05, and Virginia's gotten bluer since then, increasing his chances.

[MAS117]

I'd love to see Deeds drop out of the Governors race and run for LT.

He's better off running for Governor; he barely lost AG in '05, and Virginia's gotten bluer since then, increasing his chances.

Moran is a better candidate for Governor.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I'd love to see Deeds drop out of the Governors race and run for LT.

He's better off running for Governor; he barely lost AG in '05, and Virginia's gotten bluer since then, increasing his chances.

Moran is a better candidate for Governor.

I think he's too liberal.

[HardRCafé]

Moran is a better candidate for Governor.

Great, Virginia could have an anti-Semitic Governor as well as U.S. Senator.  Is Moran also a misogynist?

[MAS117]

Moran is a better candidate for Governor.

Great, Virginia could have an anti-Semitic Governor as well as U.S. Senator.  Is Moran also a misogynist?

The comments you are referring to were made by Jim Moran not Brian Moran.

[HardRCafé]

Ah.  I checked before, and you had not specified.  Thanks.