CNN: Warner favorite in Virginia gubernatorial battle

[DarrellsMyHero28]

Poll: Warner favorite in Virginia gubernatorial battle

Washington (CNN) - If Mark Warner wants back his old job as Virginia governor, a new poll suggests it may be his for the taking.

A Quinnipiac University survey released Wednesday indicates the first term U.S. senator would be the favorite candidate as the 2013 Virginia gubernatorial campaign gets underway.

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Warner, who was elected Virginia governor in 2001 before winning election to the Senate in 2008 (by state law, Virginia governors cannot run for consecutive terms), has said he'll announce by Thanksgiving if he'll stay in the Senate or make a bid for his old job.

According to the poll, Warner holds large leads over the two Republican candidates in hypothetical 2013 general election showdowns. Among registered Virginia voters, Warner leads Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling 53%-33% and tops Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli 52%-34%.

"If Sen. Mark Warner decides to run, he begins the campaign as the prohibitive favorite," says Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "He is much better known and much better liked than either of the Republican aspirants and his job approval rating – 60% – is the highest of any statewide elected official."

The survey indicates that by a 35%-18% margin, Virginia voters prefer Warner stay in the Senate rather than run for governor, with three in ten (mostly Republicans) wanting him to do neither.

Terry McAuliffe, the former Democratic National Committee chairman and former top adviser to Bill and Hillary Clinton, announced last Thursday that he'll make a second run for Virginia governor. McAuliffe came in second to state Sen. Creigh Deeds in a three-candidate battle for the 2009 Democratic nomination. Deeds ended up losing by a landslide in the general election to then-Republican Attorney General Bob McDonnell.

If Warner stays in the Senate and McAuliffe is the Democratic nominee for governor, the poll indicates the race is much closer, with McAuliffe at 38% and Bolling at 36%, and McAuliffe at 41% and Cuccinelli at 37%.

According to the survey, 17% of Virginia voters have a favorable view of McAuliffe, with 13% seeing him in an unfavorable way and nearly seven in ten not knowing enough about him to form an opinion.

Seven in ten also don't know enough about their lieutenant governor to form an opinion, with one in five having a favorable opinion of Bolling and 8% seeing him in a negative light.

Twenty-nine percent see their attorney general in a favorable way, with 24% holding an unfavorable opinion of Cuccinelli, and 45% not knowing enough about him to form an opinion.

The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted November 8-12, with 1,469 registered voters in Virginia questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.

Would be in favor of him returning to Richmond, he did a fantastic job in his first term.

I think he'd be a great President, but would likely have a hard time winning an election...if anyone has heard him speak in person he's not an exceptional public speaker, or at least he's been very dry when I've seen him speak.

[The Evil Genius]

I've never understood why the outdated concept of 1 term and out for Governors still exists in my home state.

Make it two terms..period (whether consecutively or not).

[SkinsHokieFan]

Terry McCaullife is running again (former DNC chair, Clinton hack)

What will probably happen, as has forever, the Governor will be of the opposite party of the President.

[DarrellsMyHero28]

I've never understood why the outdated concept of 1 term and out for Governors still exists in my home state.

Make it two terms..period (whether consecutively or not).

Does seem odd that you can serve multiple terms but can't do it consecutively.

[Buford]

I guess he could do it since he could be Hillary's VP in '16. Carry VA with him.

[renaissance]

Would be in favor of him returning to Richmond, he did a fantastic job in his first term.

I think he'd be a great President, but would likely have a hard time winning an election...if anyone has heard him speak in person he's not an exceptional public speaker, or at least he's been very dry when I've seen him speak.

He's an awful public speaker. Even in his TV spots he has zero charisma.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

at thought of Cuccinelli as governor. That said, I prefer Warner stay in the Senate.

What's Jim Webb (my personal favorite politician of all time) up to these days? Is he out of politics for good? Really disappointed he didn't go for a second term in the Senate. I think he'd be a great governor though.

[DarrellsMyHero28]

at thought of Cuccinelli as governor. That said, I prefer Warner stay in the Senate.

What's Jim Webb (my personal favorite politician of all time) up to these days? Is he out of politics for good? Really disappointed he didn't go for a second term in the Senate. I think he'd be a great governor though.

Big fan of Webb, but if he's not running for re-elction I would imagine he's done.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Big fan of Webb, but if he's not running for re-elction I would imagine he's done.

Kaine has already gotten his spot in the senate. Can't recall what Webb's reasoning for not running for reelection was.

[DarrellsMyHero28]

Kaine has already gotten his spot in the senate. Can't recall what Webb's reasoning for not running for reelection was.

I meant "didn't seek" as the election is obviously over, oops.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics...r-re-election/

After much thought and consideration I have decided to return to the private sector, where I have spent most of my professional life, and will not seek re-election in 2012,” Webb said in a statement.

[Popeman38]

Mark Warner was a GREAT Governor. What happened to him when he made it to the Senate? He basically aligned himself with the DNC and went away from what made him a great Governor. I have been disappointed in him in the Senate.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Mark Warner was a GREAT Governor. What happened to him when he made it to the Senate? He basically aligned himself with the DNC and went away from what made him a great Governor. I have been disappointed in him in the Senate.

Any specifics?

[LadySkinsFan]

All I know is that I don't want any Republican governor for VA. I sick of having to deal with reproductive rights year after year. We need a good Democrat candidate here, and it looks like McAullife is not as well known. Cucinelli would be disasterous as he is so far right wing, even for VA. If Warner comes back, we'll probably see a Democrat in his seat to replace him. Also, he's pro-business which is good for the Commonwealth, but not good for the Senate over all of us.

[Popeman38]

Any specifics?

From his time as Governor:

Virginians rejected both regional referendums to raise the sales tax in 2002. In 2004, Warner worked with Democratic and moderate Republican legislators and the business community to reform the tax code, lowering food and some income taxes while increasing the sales and cigarette taxes. Warner's tax package effected a net tax increase of approximately $1.5 billion annually. Warner credited the additional revenues with saving the state's AAA bond rating, held at the time by only five other states, and allowing the single largest investment in K-12 education in Virginia history. Warner also entered into an agreement with Democrats and moderate Republicans in the Virginia Senate to cap state car tax reimbursements to local governments, which had the effect of increasing car taxes in many localities.

He showed a great ability to reach the moderates of both parties and hammer out agreements (something we need WAY more of at both the local, state, and national level).

As Senator, he has voted party line almost 100% of the time. He has not made any news, and refuses to make waves. It seems he is more interested in bolstering his standing in the DNC than he is in working for VA.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

I meant "didn't seek" as the election is obviously over, oops.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics...r-re-election/

I just emailed him, begging him to run in the gubernatorial race.

From his time as Governor:

He showed a great ability to reach the moderates of both parties and hammer out agreements (something we need WAY more of at both the local, state, and national level).

As Senator, he has voted party line almost 100% of the time. He has not made any news, and refuses to make waves. It seems he is more interested in bolstering his standing in the DNC than he is in working for VA.

Got ya. He's still in his first term so maybe he's still finding his feet. And it's not like the GOP has really put up anything for him to vote for. IIRC, wasn't he part of some bipartisan group that was trying to put together some deal for something? Can't remember the details but I'm pretty sure he was working on something.

And maybe LadySkinsFan is right, maybe his talents aren't best suited for the senate.