Ending months of speculation, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli announced today that he will run for governor in 2013.
The decision -- unveiled in a letter to employees of the attorney general's office and confirmed by top deputies -- sets up a contested GOP gubernatorial primary battle with Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, who stepped aside and ran for a second term in 2009 to make way for then-attorney general Bob McDonnell's successful run for governor.
"Although I originally expected to serve as attorney general for another term, my job is that of public servant, and I feel that two years from now, I can best serve the people of Virginia from the governor’s office," Cuccinelli states in the letter.
He called being attorney general "the best job in my life" and said his decision was based on "my love for the commonwealth and to further th eprinciples on which this country was founded."
Cuccinelli, a conservative former state senator from Northern Virginia, was elected attorney general in 2009 as part of a Republican sweep of statewide offices. In less than two years, the 43-year-old father of seven has become a darling of the GOP's right wing and Tea Party movement, shooting to national prominence with high-profile lawsuits challenging the power of the federal government in areas such as health care and environmental regulation.
Bolling has drawn less notice, but has risen to greater recognition around the state as McDonnell's designated "Chief Jobs Creation Officer" responsible for the governor's push to pull Virginia out of its employment and economic woes.
Bollling also stands to garner a great deal of attention in the upcoming legislative session, where he will have the tie-breaking vote on critical legislative issues that come before the Virginia Senate, where Republicans and Democrats each have 20 members.
McDonnell reiterated his support for Bolling's gubernatorial bid, but shied away from criticizing Cuccinelli for entering the fray, calling both men "dedicated public servants."
"While I do prefer a scenario in which both men continue to serve in statewide office together going forward, I certainly respect the right of the attorney general to make his own decision regarding future races," McDonnell said. He also called Bolling "a trusted advisor and a close, personal friend."
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