va_conservative's blog

Rumors are swirling around Richmond that Barack Obama has promised Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine that he would nominate him to fill one of possibly several U.S. Supreme Court vacancies that might open should he win the presidency this November.

Seem far-fetched? I certainly thought it was at first... until I did some research:

1. Kaine was the first statewide official outside of Illinois to endorse Obama. The Washington Post first reported his endorsement in February of 2007. He has spent considerable amounts of time with him on the campaign trail, and Obama came to Virginia to camapign for Kaine in 2005.

2. Kaine and Obama have similar legal backgrounds. According to the Washington Post:

Kaine, who like Obama is a Harvard-educated civil rights lawyer, has made no secret of his admiration for the senator.

From Kaine's official bio:

Governor Kaine practiced law in Richmond for 17 years, representing people who had been denied housing opportunities because of their race or disability.  He won many precedent-setting cases in this area and was recognized by local, state and national organizations for his fair-housing advocacy. Kaine also taught legal ethics for six years at the University of Richmond Law School.

3. It has been widely speculated that Obama might pick Kaine as VP or as a cabinet member. However, in both scenarios, Bill Bolling, a Republican, would automatically become governor of Virginia, since both would occur prior to end of Kaine's term, which would end in January of 2010 because of Virginia's one-term limit for governors. The next election for governor will occcur in November of 2009, thus putting Kaine in a position to be nominated by Obama for possible supreme court vacancies.

My comments:

This should come as a wake-up call for Virginia Republicans. After a tough convention which has left a very bitter taste in the mouth of every Republican involved, the possibility of Kaine being on the Supreme Court is something in which Republicans can reunite and ensure that it doesn't happen. Virginia is going to very much be in play, and Republicans in the state need every motivation to get out and work hard for John McCain. Hope this speculation serves as motivation.