Posted on 08/28/2006 7:33:26 AM PDT by Reagan Man
Los Angeles, Calif.—The most unanticipated news item to emerge from the California Republican Convention at the Century Plaza Hotel last week is that former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore is thinking seriously of entering the 2008 Republican presidential sweepstakes.
Jim Gilmore? At 56, the conservative one-time chairman of the Republican National Committee has been out of elective office for five years. Before serving as Virginia’s governor for one four-year term, he had served as the state’s attorney general and, before that, as Henrico County attorney. But until last week, his name had not been even vaguely mentioned among the long list of possible GOP presidential candidates.
But here in California, talk of a Gilmore presidential campaign began just as he arrived to address the delegates and the state’s top GOP officials. It also comes at a time when Gilmore’s fellow Virginia Republican, Sen. George Allen, is locked in a surprisingly tight re-election battle against Democrat Jim Webb.
According to one Virginia GOP source who requested anonymity, “The No.1 debate in the Allen campaign these days is whether George should announce that if re-elected to the Senate this year, he will forgo a run for President in ’08.” The same source told Human Events that the faction in the Allen camp wanting him to take this course “is led by [Washington attorney and longtime Allen confidant] Frank Atkinson and the faction that wants him to keep alive a bid for President is headed by [wife] Susan Allen.”
Gilmore currently heads the homeland security section of a Washington, D.C., law firm, operates a political action committee, A Council for Policy Reform (ACORP) and heads a 501(c)(3) known as NCorp.
In a feisty luncheon speech, Gilmore called for securing the borders and for a Republican agenda of “security, safety, and long-term civil values and freedom.” Gilmore’s address drew a prolonged ovation from the GOP crowd.
“I haven’t made a decision yet,” Gilmore told me afterward, adding that he had “several choices” for a political future, including a possible run for the U.S. Senate in 2010 (when Republican Sen. John Warner is expected to retire) or “a race in ’09,” referring to another bid for the governorship he held from 1997-2001. (Virginia governors are limited to only one consecutive four-year term.).
Gilmore quickly pointed out that he had “a lot of friends across the U.S.” who have encouraged him to run for the presidency in 2008. For now, however, he insists he is focusing on speaking across the country to “provide some leadership for the middle class.
Gilmore was elected governor in 1997 on a vow to “Ax the Car Tax.” He also fought efforts to permit Northern Virginia to raise local taxes for infrastructure and backed greater accountability in Virginia’s public schools by supporting Standards of Learning Tests. He won high marks from conservatives such as Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform by successfully leading the fight among governors against an Internet tax.
Already, the former governor has some fans among California Republicans. Republican National Committeewoman Barbara Alby told me, “He’d better run! He has a great message. And the field for ’08 needs a Jim Gilmore, who talks the values we hold dear in the Republican Party and has a walk to back up the talk. He’s presidential timber.” Alby recalled her service on the RNC while Gilmore was national chairman and said she had “a special fondness” for him. When I asked her colleague, Republican National Committeeman Tim Morgan, whether he believed Gilmore should run, he replied without hesitation: “I do.”
I seem to remember he was a squishy pro-abort. Don't we have enough "moderates" (code word for "pro-choice") running?
Richmond ping.
Jim Gilmore for President?
Not my favorite candidate - even this far out from the primaries.
I got my car tax bill last week in Virginia. It was $444.00. Without Jim Gilmore, it would have been over $1,000.00! That is the opposite of what happened under former VA Governor Mark Warner!
I'd like to see someone who is not all politics with some real world serious management experience. Maybe the ret CEO of GE or Time Warner.
Met him, liked him.....and quite probably related to him! LOL
He was in town stumping for W when I met him. Nice, nice fella. When I met him, I grinned and used my maiden name and married name. He seemed delighted and chatted for a few moments. In fact, I got a Christmas card from him his last year in office. No one else here did, to my knowledge.
So, the GOP field of wannabes is up to what, 24, 25, 30?
lol
It's looking worse than the 10-11 clowns in the 04 Dem Primary debates.
I'll take 90% of what I want over 0% anyday. It would be less than zero, actually, since we'll be in the negative should we lose to a lib.
I don't recall ever hearing he was pro choice. If he shifted on that issue, and is now pro life, then that would be satisfactory to me.
I hope he does run because the rest of the field does not impress me. We need some newer faces in there. I would add Gov. Pawlenty to the list. I would like to see Gov. Barbour run but he says he is not interested.
Gilmore wasn't a bad Governor of VA, but he was a mediocre Chairman of the RNC. He is not Presidential material.
My dream pick is Sen. Jeff Sessions.
Does anyone know if he has expressed any interest in running?
things are not looking good for Allen.Gilmore must really hate the guy.
But, just to piss off the Rudyphiles, Gilmore has a better record on the WOT than Giuliani.
I wouldn't vote for him.
You do understand, of course, that the locality still gets the $1,000. It's just that, instead of it coming ~directly~ out your pocket, the State is paying that $556 on your behalf.
I've said this countless times. It was a brilliant campaign strategy, but lousy policy.
He's boring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May be a good guy but as inspiring as a ham sandwich.
Well, if it came down to a choice between Gilmore and Hillary!, I'd vote for him. But, it would have to be that kind of a choice.
President??? He couldn't win an open seat for Congress in a strongly Republican district.
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