The Hill News

Retiring Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) won praise Wednesday from Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine, but made no mention of his own intentions in Virginia's now-open Senate race.

Kaine, a former governor of Virginia, praised Webb for his term of service in the Senate, and expressed optimism that Democrats would hang onto the seat in 2012.

"[O]ver the past decade, we’ve made major progress in turning Virginia from a solidly Republican state to a highly competitive one, including Senator Webb’s victory in 2006, Senator Warner’s victory in 2008 and President Obama’s historic victory in 2008," Kaine said in a statement. "With the investments that President Obama and the Democratic Party will make in Virginia in 2012, I am confident that our party will hold on to this Senate seat in 2012.”

Kaine made no mention of his own intentions, however, and may take time before deciding to weigh in on his ultimate intentions.
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The DNC chairman has previously said that he wouldn't run for Senate in his home state, even if Webb were to retire.

"No, I've got a job I really like right now, tough as it may be," Kaine said last month. "And I'm doing what the president wants me to do."

But with a relatively thin bench of Democrats in the state, Obama may lean on Kaine to make a run for the Senate in Virginia, where he served as a popular governor last decade.

Already, Republicans are looking to define Kaine, should he decide to throw his hat in the ring.

"We can only hope that Democrats succeed in recruiting President Obama’s number one cheerleader in Washington â€" Tim Kaine," said National Republican Sen! atorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Brian Walsh this afternoon.!