A former Lieutenant Governor, Democrat Gov. Tim Kaine is gearing up for the election in 2009.

From the Pilot Online:

Kaine has aggressively raised money and mapped out an ambitious growth strategy for the party. The pinnacle of his success came earlier this month when Virginia threw its support to Barack Obama, breaking the state’s 44-year streak in the GOP column in presidential elections.

But Kaine isn’t stopping there. With a friend in the White House and a new crop of Virginia Democrats in Congress, Kaine can make a convincing pitch to national party organizations for help in the 2009 gubernatorial and legislative races. Only Virginia and New Jersey will elect governors next year, and there’s a good chance the Old Dominion will see record-breaking wads of cash rolling in from Washington, D.C.

The stakes cannot be overestimated. The governor and legislators elected in 2009 will draw new political maps that could give Democrats an edge in elections for years to come.

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