Today, Senator Jim Webb announced that he will not seek reelection to a second term in the Senate. In response, Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement:
Even before he won election to the U.S. Senate in 2006, Jim Webb served his country with distinction in many ways including protecting our freedom on the battlefield. For the past four years, Senator Webb has been a strong and effective advocate for the people of Virginia. While I was Governor, I was pleased to have such a strong ally in the Senate and we worked together on a range of important issues.
Senator Webb has dedicated much of his life to supporting and honoring America’s service members. He has also worked to promote justice and opportunity for Americans throughout the country. In the Senate, he led the effort to enact the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the most significant expansion of veteran’s benefits since the WWII era; he took a leading role in efforts to make the American criminal justice system more just; and he has served admirably on the Armed Services, Foreign Relations, and Joint Economic and Veterans Affairs committees. As a Virginian, I am proud of what Senator Webb has accomplished and the service he has provided to our state and his expertise will be sorely missed when his term of service comes to a close.
I had hoped that Senator Webb, having worked tirelessly to help elect him in 2006, would run for reelection and continue his service in the Senate. However, over 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. 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.