Is George Allen In The Game?
By Erick Posted in 2006 — Comments (10) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
George Allen (R-VA) is rumored to want a change of residence from Capitol Hill to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. If so, he's got a ways to go. But, signs point to Allen beginning to stretch his legs for the long march to 2008.
In 2000, Allen set up "Good Government for America PAC," his leadership PAC, which interestingly once was the name of the PAC belonging to the popular conservative senator from Georgia, Paul Coverdell. In the 2000 election cycle Allen spent $203,466.00 with a candidate contribution total of $99,554. In the 2002 election cycle, the expenditure amount rose to $377,373.00 with a candidate contribution total of $209,500.00. In the 2004 election cycle, Allen's PAC spent $647,244.00, but only gave candidate contributions in the amount of $162,500.00, a decrease of $47,000.00. During that time, Allen also served as the head of the Republican Senators' campaign engine, the National Republican Senatorial Committee ("NRSC") and was able to fund Republicans across the nation with that tool.
Perhaps most telling, in 2000 and 2002, Allen's Leadership PAC ended the campaign cycle with less than $100,000.00 on hand. At the end of 2004, Allen still had on hand $210,542.00 and is rumored to be back out raising money for the PAC aggressively. With both his own election in 2006, and the need to build loyalty among potential future supporters, Allen will need to hoard his dollars and give strategically. It will be interesting to see how much of his money begins to flow to places like South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Iowa over the next two years.
Allen does have one lagging gap. Contributions to his Leadership PAC come mostly from Virginia. That should be expected because it is his base. However, Virginia does not win national elections alone. Allen needs to start expanding the reach of his PAC on the contributor side and targeting strategically on the expenditure side.
So far Allen is giving every indication that he'll be a 2008 Presidential candidate. Right now though, he smartly shows all the signs of a man running hard for re-election in Virginia.
(SOURCE: Open Secrets)
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Is George Allen In The Game? 10 Comments (0 topical, 10 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
In my opinion, Allen should have run for Governor again in 2001. That would have been a much better platform from which to launch a presidential bid.
I believe strongly that George Allen would make an excellent President. However, I don't have any faith that a sitting Senator can win the presidency.
Virginia governor is limited to one 4-year term, so Allen could not have run again in 2001.
Virginia governor is only limited to serving a non-consecutive term. Since Allen was Governor from 1993-1997, and Gilmore was Governor from 1997-2001, Allen could have run again in 2001.
John knows what he's talking about when it comes to Virginia. Which is not to say he's right on this count - frankly, though, I could see Allen as being more of a Veep possibility for a Midwestern Governor-type.
Allen pulling a Mills Godwin in 2001 would have made things very interesting, and possibly killed the career of Mark Warner (whom we'll definitely see again, possibly as soon as 2008).
But I think he's been a much better Senator than Governor, and would be happy to have him stay in the Senate for another 30 years. Not sure he's really presidential timber, although there's certainly no shortage of people around him telling him that he is.
One odd point about Allen's presidential aspirations -- he's a tobacco chewer. In these days of "set a good example for the children" is the country ready for a president with a spit cup?
There's a good redneck joke here somewhere...
...he is not pro-life where it counts - first tri-mester. Unless he has changed his position.
And the sad part is, you can't make one convincing argument for me that George Allen needs to favor first-trimester abortions to be elected in Virginia. He takes that position out of bad ideology, not even the excuse of political necessity (which is still a bad excuse).
Second, and perhaps more important, Allen has to clarify his position on abortion. During his run for the Senate in 2000, I twice heard Allen attempt to explain his stand on this issue. Neither attempt was very successful. Allen said that he would not restrict abortion during the first trimester, since at that early point in the pregnancy, it is not certain that there is another person involved.
The bad news about a position like this is it can alienate both sides of the abortion debate. The good news is, once Allen learns more about the latest scientific findings on fetal development, he'll learn that there is more and more reason to believe that human life starts at conception. Either way, Republican primary voters, even if they do not demand strict pro-life positions, will demand clarity on this issue.
thought that Allen's term as governor was 1997-2001.
I have a few thoughts myself about Sen. Allen.
Jay Timmons is running the PAC now, and Dick Wadhams is running the office.
Personally, I think Allen only wins if he runs as Mr. Conservative in a field of moderates and unknowns. Otherwise, I think a Governor will emerge.