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Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Mark Warner makes it official

Posted: Thursday, September 13, 2007 9:59 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: ,

From NBC's Mark Murray
In a video on his Web site, former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D) announces he's running for retiring GOP Sen. John Warner's Senate seat. "I've decided the way I  can contribute most to getting our country back on the right track is to serve in the United States Senate," he says. "So after this November's legislative elections, I will announce a formal candidacy for the Senate, and I'm going to work like heck to for the next 14 months to get Virginians to hire me."

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chairman Chuck Schumer released this statement on Warner's candidacy, which gives Democrats an excellent chance of picking up this seat: “I have come to know Mark in the last six months and have seen he is an outstanding American leader who will run a great campaign and be a tremendous asset to his state and his country. We’re excited about his campaign and even more excited about him joining us in the Senate.”

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, however, released its own statement that unveils a Web site highlighting Warner's tax increase in Virginia. "Make no mistake about it, Mark Warner is a politician who can't be trusted to keep his promises to voters," NRSC communications director Rebecca Fisher said. "And his prime example is raising Virginians' taxes by $1.38 billion."

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Just what this country needs....
Another tax and spend liberal like Schumer.
This criticisms is laughable coming from the reduce revenue, spend like drunken sailors Republicans. Conservatives my ass.
Well, since Virginia is like the rest of the states in this country, I sincerely doubt Gov. Mark Warner raised those taxes all by himself, maybe the RNC should be looking at who was in the legislature at the time and see who voted to approve the tax increase - no, wait, that would be too simple and honest for any repugnant, now wouldn't it?
Kind of like they try to overlook the fact that Don Sundquist nearly bankrupted the state of Tennessee( with a little help from Ron Ramsey and Beth Harwell)
Gosh, Jerry, did not know anyone in Texas was affected by Virginia taxes, so how does that affect the rest of our country?  What they do in Virginia has very little to do with what we do in Tennessee and since you are even further away from Virginia than we are, I sure don't see how it would affect you.
jerry EXACTLY! Now ya got it baby boy!
Jerry, you have no idea what you are talking about.  Warner is touted by GOPers as a moderate, and if he ran for President, he would win, hands down. I always felt that this guy should've ran for president, and was very disappointed when he ruled out a run for that office. Glad to see he'll take over a senate seat from the rethuglicans.  And I'm offended at your blatant idiotic knee-jerk reaction.  Further, Sen. Schumer is anything but a tax and spend liberal.In any event, it's better than borrow and spend rethuglicans who banktupt the federal government and hand our future over to foreign investors.
Jerry you are so original...NOT! You Repuks love to borrow and spend from China so we can be in debt for years to come. News flash you can't wage war and cut taxes for the wlthiest. Remember supply side economics with Reagan - it failed. Go take a course in economics 101 before spouting your tired fox news talking points.  
Time to clean up Washington.  democRats must be thrown out by the voters.  They are craven bottom-dwellers with no love of country.  If you want a European-style, socialist government with dependence on the government, dhimmitude, more  muslims and more illegal aliens, causing us to lose our national identity, then, by all means, vote democRat.  They can't be trusted.  The seek power for the sake of power and have not interest in the people or the traditional institutions that made this country the greatest nation.  
Unlike the non-conservative borrow and spend that has been going on under the current administration?
Juan in little-Havana...taking economics 101 only re-enforces the liberal lies about the economy.  Reagan's policies DID work as evidenced by the 20 years of economic growth following his tax cuts.  Tax cuts worked for  JFK and it worked for Bush.  The evidence is overwhelming.  A rising tide lifts ALL boats.  We have the wealthiest "poor" people in the world.  Cars, homes, TV's, computers.  Take your blinders off.
I don't know much about Mark Warner but the minute I saw jerry's post I knew I was going to like him. Lower case on jerry was intentional just like when I mention "w".
This is EXACTLY WHY the Democrats need an honest and inspiring Presidential nominee !!
With Barack Obama and John Edwards leading the ticket (in either order), the Democrats will sweep to victory !!
Let's run on a platform of Change, Honesty and Ethics !!
The American people will surely REJECT the dishonesty, incompetence and unethical behavior of the last 15 years !!
Where has it gotten us ??
NO MORE BUSH/CLINTON !!
NO MORE CROOKED POLITICS !!
I'm delighted that Mark Warner is running for the U.S. Senate.  He was a terrific governor and will make an excellent Senator.
Muhammad, inflation adjusted income for the lowest 20% of earners is up 6.4% since 1970, 328% for the top 10%.  Middle class incomes are actually down slightly over that period.  Your rising tide is only lifting yachts.
Face it the “Gay Old Party” is scared s***less and all they can do is look petty and desperate with all the nonsense they talk. The DEMS will pick up this seat and many more in 08 because the fools in the Repubs want to follow the Man Child in Chief off a cliff. Well looks like they will get their wish.
With Mark Warner's announcement that he intends to run for the US Senate, it can be believed that the US Congress will continue taking big steps back towards sanity, as was demonstrated in 2006.

Republicans, your attacks on Mark Warner are vapor, and you know it. He turned the state of Virginia around after Jim Gilmore ran it into the ground, and if it were not for Virginia's one term limit, he'd still be Governor today.

By all means, please dump as much money and time into this Senate race as you want. Take your focus off tighter Senate races and pour all your resources into a race you have no chance of winning.

Don't stop, R's, don't ever stop.

Joe.
Better a tax and spend liberal than a tax and spend  conservative
As a Virginia resident I can honestly say that Mark Warner did more for this state than any of his predecessors in recent history.  He united Democrats and Republicans and led Virginia to one of the greatest economic turn arounds in the history of the state.
Jarhead, I can see the vessel is filled with kool-aid.
Jarhead68, get your head out,the same thing could be said of Republicans.
George Bush is a Republican and your president, and he loves illegals (as is evidenced by his push to legalize) and Mulims, (we have  to take care of the Iraqi people and I love the Saudis) a hell of a lot more than he does Americans.
You've got a lot to talk about union baby......

Tennessee Democrat Rob briley was arrested for DUI, driving a SUV at speeds over 100 mph.  He is helping to write the DUI laws in that state LOL. What is this about holding a gun while finishing his drink? Tennessee has the most drunken, crime infested liberals in the country union baby, don't come getting into a war with me until you people over there get your own state cleaned up.  A SUV?  Al Gore should have him put in jail for life just on that one.

Juan, better read up on your papers son.....
Hillary Clinton is the rising star in the Chinese scene these days.  Soon the other Hsu will drop and we won't have her to worry about anymore.

Pat, better have another look at your buy Schumer's record.  Only thing he can find is a TV camera.  Bad enough you have a carpetbagger from Illinois because you new Yorkers don't have any purebreds to run your state, you need a woman from Illinois to teach you new Yorkers about corruption.  What an embarrassment Hillary Clinton has become in New York.  What's the matter pat, no one in New York man enough or woman enough to run your own state?  bad enough you have Charlie rangel talking about the biggest tax increase in American History coming around the corner and then he steals 2 million from the taxpayers so he can some building named after him on a college campus. Rangle went on Sean hannitty's radio show and PLEDGED that he would not raise taxes, let's see if he doesn't pull a Clinton on that one.

Gary, you democrats have a lot to talk about spending taxpayer money this session.  We may have written the book, but libs seemed to have added a few chapters.  John Murtha is spending 24 million on a drug center that is closing because it did nothing.  Nancy pelosi spends millions on a cruise ship terminal in San Francisco bay because it makes her husband's land increase it's values right next door.  147 earmarks for the state of Minnesota, not one having to do with bridge repairs, like I said, my guys went a bit over the line on spending, but you libs are drinking from the same bottle.
Jeeerrry! Now you're Jarhead 68 , oh pulease! More like jughead 69.
Mark Warner is primarily a technocrat and savvy businessman who brought Virginia into the 21st century. He is a moderate and a fiscal conservative whose pragmatism (like other popular governors- Schwarzenegger and Charlie Crist) was needed to solve Virginia's vast problems with revenue and its transportation woes. He was much more popular in the state than his likely opponent in the Senate race, Jim Gilmore, a rigid ideologue, who ran the state into the ground by repealing its car tax.
I live in Virginia.  I regret that Mark Warner could not run for a second term due to a decades old stranglehold the Republican legislature has on our great Commonwealth, including refusing to change the Commonwealth's constitution to permit a second term as Governor.  Yes, the Republicans controlled the legislature by a wide margin while Mark was Governor, and they had no choice after Jim Gilmore's 4-years of fiscal mismanagement other than to do the right things with Mr. Warner to get Virginia back on track.  Despite the legislature's overwhelming Republican majority, Mark did a superb job to work with BOTH parties to turn our financial health around.  Anyone who thinks he's a tax and spend Democrat obviously didn't live here when he was Governor.
Muhammed-Typical racist name caller. You are a coward who probally tortured animals as a little kid, got preverse pleasure out demeaning others who are not of the same race, and you are a product of your upbringing. Ignorance is bliss in your case. Jerry you sound like a big fat tobacco chewing southern good old  boy....I am not your son. Who cares about Hillery's alleged chinese ties. THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN THE ONE WHO HAS OUR TRESURY BONDS IN CHINESE HANDS so we can be in debt to them for years to come.
Jerry, you need a life and your an idiot!  How's the hurricane? Too bad it didn't blow you away.
Thank you pat. My sentiments exactly
Q.What is the difference between a Neocon and a shark?
A One is a scurvy bottom feeding scavenger, the other s just a fish.
Gilmore is your standard social and fiscal conservative, but his rigid ideology proved disasterous for Virginia. Republicans who can manage to ditch their party's stranglehold on creative solutions and nanny-like stances on personal behavior will thrive- those like Gilmore who rely on narrow-minded conservative ideology alone will not meet the challenges facing our country in these terrible times. Do we really want another cookie-cutter anti-gay, anti abortion, pro-tax cut Republican in Washington? Mark Warner proved that he could work in a politically hostile environment and succeed. The majority of Virginians were more than satisfied, which was not true of Gilmore's tenure as governor.
Jerry- For a person who claims to be a hard working Republican supporting all the lazy Democrats, you are on this message board morning to night.

Do you have a real job or do you just get paid by the RNC to post your drivel?

Just curious.
That was so funny.
***A rising tide lifts ALL boats. ***
And everybody who can't afford a boat drowns.
Everyone on this board just needs to ignore jerry. All he is looking for is attention and you people take the bait. The guy is desperate and a low life…that’s it.
He will not WIN...Guaranteed... We will campaign against his lazy azz and bring up everything the rest of the country doesnt know about him.
GARY, YOU ARE SO CORRECT, HE IS LIKE A BUZZING MOSIQUITO. WE KEEP SLAPPING AT THE LITTLE IRRITATION.
GET THE RAID AND LETS IGNORE.
Jerry who?  Maybe the real "war on terror" should be fought in Corpus Christi!

On another subject: If Jim Gilmore is your standard social and fiscal conservative, stay away from him in public restrooms . . .


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