Former Virginia Governor and Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine has announced he is running for that state's open Senate seat in 2012. He will be running against another former Governor, Republican George Allen.
Kaine is a moderately pro-life Democrat and a Catholic with a deep commitment to social justice. A native of Kansas City, he took time off while studying law at Harvard to join the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, working in Honduras.
The recent census data shows that Virginia is becoming more Democratic-friendly than ever before as the number of minorities, who traditionally support Democrats, grew substantially. Virginia voted for Barack Obama in 2008, 53% to 46%, the first time the Old Dominion had voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964. But, the state turned hard to the right in 2009 and 2010 as the GOP picked up all statewide offices and several congressional seats.
The Kaine-Allen match-up promises to be a bruiser but Kaine's candidacy gives the Democrats one of their best chances to hold on to a Senate seat.
You can see Kaine's announcement here.
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