Could Bolling run for governor as an independent?
Bill Bolling
When Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling announced today that he will abandon the contest for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, he said he had decided to “suspend” his campaign for governor. And he went on to say that he would be “a more independent voice” in the 2013 elections.
So could Bolling be an independent candidate for governor next year?
In an interview this afternoon, Bolling didn’t rule out the possibility.
“I don’t have any current intentions to run as an independent candidate for governor, but I learned a long time ago in politics that you shouldn’t ever say never,” Bolling said during a brief interview in his office in the Oliver Hill Building on Capitol Square.
“This is going to be an interesting campaign,” Bolling said, sizing up a potential race between Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe. “I think one of the big questions is: How do the people of Virginia react to these two candidates that the major political parties have produced? How does the business community react to these two candidates? I think there’s going to be a fair amount of uncertainty and uncomfortableness with these two candidates. So I jut don’t know how that might play out over the course of time.
“I don’t have any current intention of doing that, but I’m not going to rule anything out at this point. Right now my focus is on working with the governor to get ready for the 2013 session of the General Assembly, and then once we get the session behind us, we’ll take a look at the political landscape and see how things are coming together. You know, I’m always assessing political options.”
One option Bolling effectively ruled out is running for a third consecutive term as lieutenant governor. Seven Republicans already are running for the nomination, but that’s not the reason Bolling gave for not seeking another four years in the job.
“Under normal circumstances, I would be open to the possibility of running for another term as lieutenant governor, but I would not be interested in running on a statewide ticket with Mr. Cuccinelli,” Bolling said.
– Michael Sluss
November 28, 2012 - 2:57 PM
Obviously bad blood between these 2, but Virginia has elected, what, 1 LG to the position of governor in the past 40 years or so, and that by a razor thin margin? Over that same period, several AG’s have been elected governor, from both parties. I don’t know how electable Bolling was.
It should be interesting. A Bolling/McAuliffe race would have been moderate vs. moderate and probably no great difference between candidates, whereas a Super Cooch/McAuliffe race will squarely pit a conservative against a liberal leaning moderate.
I think Super Cooch is the better debater. Bolling defeated Jody Wagner for re-election and that was was like running against Elmer Fudd as she was such a disaster as the budget director for Kaine.
I think Creigh Deeds should run again as an independent or oppose McAuliffe for the nomination. 3rd time is the charm!
There might be a path for an independent candidate to beat Cuccinelli and McAuliffe, but that candidate ain’t Bill Bolling.
More likely is the emergence of a stronger candidate in the Democratic field, someone in the moderate mold of Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.
Tom Perriello, Rick Boucher, John Casteen? Virginia looks to you.
They always “suspend” their campaigns, as “ending” their campaigns would make them ineligible to continue fundraising … which they may need to do to pay off debt from the campaign they just suspended. I have heard that Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign is still in a state of “suspended” animation.
Watch for Tom Perriello. He can beat Mccauliffe and he can dang sure beat the Cooch.
Sure he can Dave. Just like he beat Hurt……
4.”Watch for Tom Perriello. He can beat Mccauliffe and he can dang sure beat the Cooch.”
This northern transplant couldnt even when his own district. Bring him on for another Rep. victory!
I wasn’t particularly interested in his campaign against Hurt. But I gave to and worked with the Obama people downtown, and to keep Cooch out of the governor’s mansion I’d work for Periello. I’m not alone, and if Periello could somehow co-opt the Obama organization here in VA, he’d have an excellent shot.
#5 Oy maybe like he beat Goode? Oh, you forgot that one, Bob H?
#6 Jack, breaking out the Rebel flags.
Jack, you nitwit….Cuccinelli was born in Edison, NJ.
And Jack, to follow up, Bob McDonnell was born in Philly. So why can’t VA come up with any native sons to send to Richmond?
Gdad,
I for one would enjoy seeing a democrat primary contest between liberal loser Tommy and carpetbagger McAuliffe.
And I would welcome Tommy, the loser, into the race as an independant. A 3 way race between Super Cooch, McAuliffe, and liberal Tommy would be just fine with me.
Periello came down and immediately ran for office. Seems like a set up to me with northern money. He snuck in and won his first race here. He will never hold a major office again.
Jack, let’s stick to the fact. Periello, Cuccinelli, and McDonnell are all northerners. Just admit it.
Just to introduce a few facts here:
First, Tom Periello was born in Ivy, Virginia in Albemarle County, Virginia. He attended West Albemarle High School. His dad was a pediatrician who practiced in Greene County, Virginia. That’s no northern transplant.
Secondly, regarding Lt. Governors: The following have been elected governor within the past 41 years–Robb (1981), Wilder (1989)and Kaine (2005). Prior to that, Mills Godwin who was lt. governor from 1962-66 was elected governor in 1965, William M. Tuck was lt. governor before he was elected governor in 1945 and James Price was lt. governor before he was elected in the 1937 election.
Creigh Deeds is a good guy and a lousy candidate. Perriello lost to hurt in a close race in the Tea Party tide of 2010 when outside groups spent millions of dollars against him (as they did Rick Boucher). The Tea Party Tide statewide is over. Perriello has a great reputation and would not be handcuffed by the rqdical conservatism of part of the 5th district. In a statewide race with the help of the changing demographics in Nova, Tidewater, and the Richmond suburbs, he would be an appealing candidate who could raise a ton of money. He would lose SWVA and Extreme Southside, two areas of the state that are rapidly becoming irrelevant in statewide elections. But the Cooch is such an extremist that the urban areas of the state and the state’s women will crush him in a statewide campaign.
If Periello was born in Ivy, why does Jack keep calling him a Northerner? It makes him the only actual Virginian compared to McDonnell and Cuccinelli.
Ok Dave, let me get this straight. Here is your quote: “Perriello has a great reputation and would not be handcuffed by the rqdical conservatism of part of the 5th district.”
So how did he get elected in the fifth the first place? You contradict yourself.
I would urge ex congressman Periello to seek the democratic nomination for governor. I would urge him to run as an independant too.
McAuliffe is a typical democratic candidate, worth millions- how much did he make on the Global Crossing deal, something like $18M alone? Yeah boy, he sure represents the typical Virginian.
At least Super Cooch and Tom have worked for a living, McAliffe got hired by the Carter campaign when he was, what, 22? Career politician.
Democrats rejected him by 23% once already.
Bob H, Bob H, Bob H. Sigh.
“At the age of 14, McAuliffe started his first business. Under the name McAuliffe Driveway Maintenance he sealed local driveways and parking lots. “After graduating from Georgetown Law, McAuliffe has been forming partnerships, raising capital and investing in business ventures. He has earned millions as a banker, real estate developer, home builder, hotel owner, and internet venture capitalist.”
McDonnell is no less a career politician than McAuliffe.
#17 Well, you know, Kristen, Perriello earned two degrees at that communist Northern university Yale. And the there’s this:
From 2002-03, Perriello was Special Advisor to the international prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, where he worked with child soldiers, amputees, and local pro-democracy groups, and helped to prosecute warlords.[6] He later became the Court’s Spokesman and helped to indict Liberian dictator Charles Taylor, peacefully forcing him from power. He has worked as a consultant to the International Center for Transitional Justice in Kosovo (2003), Darfur (2005), and Afghanistan (2007) where he worked on justice-based security strategies.[1]
I guess that makes him a Northern transplant in Jack’s addled world.
Gdad,
I didn’t know you were Dave!
I also didn’t realize McDonnell was running against McAuliffe….
You had to go back to when he was the age of 14 to find when he actually worked a job? Wow, do you have his 6th grade transcripts too?
gdad, I was stupid to take Jack’s word for it without checking. When I finally checked Periello and saw that Yale/Yale and immediately knew what Jack’s problem is. Waaayyy too much Ivy league education for Jack’s taste. Anyone that well educated is immediately suspect.
Justice is also suspiciously “northern”.
#21 “Gdad, I didn’t know you were Dave!”
Gee, BobH, could you point me to the blog rule that a person can’t reply to a post unless it’s directed specifically to them. I mean, I see folks — even you — doing it all the time, so I though it would be all right. Are you becoming a blog reply nanny in addition to the metro topic arbitrator?
“You had to go back to when he was the age of 14 to find when he actually worked a job?”
Gosh, Bob H, I’m not sure how you missed this part: “After graduating from Georgetown Law, McAuliffe has been forming partnerships, raising capital and investing in business ventures. He has earned millions as a banker, real estate developer, home builder, hotel owner, and internet venture capitalist.” That stuff doesn’t qualify as a job in your mind? Weird.
Gdad,
As I said, he is a typical democrat, WEALTHY. I recall some of you pointing that out about Romney as if it disqualified him from running for office or something.
Of course, it is different when it is one of your own……
How can “typical democrats” be “wealthy” when the typical democrat is unemployed and freeloads off the taxpayers?
“Waaayyy too much Ivy league education for Jack’s taste.”
All the education in the world doesnt make for a good leader. This guy is an opportunist..took Goode by suprise with the well funded campaign,but was easily unseated next go round. Whether born here or not, he came back to run for office in my opinion. Either way he is ineffective and a far left wing hack. With nothing to offer, except to others of his ilk.
#24 Bob H, you keep doing this — somehow blaming me for things that others said. I most certainly never said Romney couldn’t run because he was wealthy — pretty much EVERY presidential or Senate candidate is wealthy by average standards. The Obamas weren’t rolling in it like Romney, but they weren’t hurting, either.
“As I said, he is a typical democrat, WEALTHY…”
Looking back at your comments on this thread I don’t see this anywhere. Could you point it out for me?
#25 Watch it, Kristen, Bob H wasn’t talking to you, so apparently you’re not supposed to respond. Some sort of rule, I guess.
But Paul Ryan being a “career politician” was fine by you, right Bob H? How the hell you could support Romney then diss McAuliffe’s wealth is truly hypocrisy in action!
From Jack Mcguire
but was easily unseated next go round. Whether born here or not, he came back to run for office in my opinion.
Jackassets that Perriello was “easily defeted” in 2010. In fact he lost by 4% in what was a landslide of Republican Tea Party nonsense in 2010, Perriello ran strong however and carried Charlottewsville, Albemarle , Rockingham, and Nelson counties. If you tag those counties onto a strtong Northern Va., Tidewater, suburban Ricmond, Roanoke City, Montgomery Countycombination. and the fact that women will swamp cuccinelli, Perrierllo could easily win in a statewide race.
#26 Poor old Jack just can’t stand an “opportunist” who worked “in West Africa and the Middle East to create strategies for sustainable peace, and was involved in the peace processes that helped end the civil wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia.” A guy who helped prosecute and depose warlords like Charles Taylor. And then decided to return to his home state.
Way too accomplished for Jack’s tastes.
And Jack, the guy’s not a northerner.
Jack’s pulling for the New Jersey guy!