Terry McAuliffe officially signals potential Governor's campaign

6:27 p.m.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe filed papers Monday necessary to run for governor in Virginia next year.
McAuliffe established his campaign committee, Friends of Terry McAuliffe, with the State Board of Elections and will tour Virginia for the next 60 days before making his candidacy certain.
He also launched a new Web site Monday and said he would be announcing political advisers over the next week.
McAuliffe just finished a series of campaign appearances across the state on behalf of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. In each, he rallied local party activists and volunteers for Obama and the Democratic ticket.
He said he won't formally announce a decision until Jan. 7, but neither his tone or nor his words were those of an undecided candidate.
"I think I can make a difference. I think I can go out and fight for people. I think I can create jobs. I think I can take this state in a new direction, and the thing I'd like to do, too, is to come out with some big, bold ideas. I think that's what this state has to hear," McAuliffe said in the interview.
McAuliffe would face two other Democrats who have been active for nearly a year in an already contentious nomination fight to succeed Democratic Gov. Timothy M. Kaine.
State Sen. Creigh Deeds narrowly lost the attorney general's race in 2005, and House Democratic Caucus chairman Brian Moran is also in the race.
"I think Brian and Creigh are terrific. They have been great legislators. I would bring something different," McAuliffe said.
The acidic tone of the looming nomination battle became quickly clear when Moran's campaign welcomed McAuliffe to the race by recalling speculation from three years ago about McAuliffe's interest in another governor's race.
"Given Mr. McAuliffe's previous ambitions to run for Governor of Florida, he needs to explain to the people of Virginia if he's doing this for the right reasons," Moran campaign spokesman Jesse Ferguson wrote in a four-paragraph statement.
McAuliffe never confirmed any consideration of running in Florida, an impossible prospect because of that state's seven-year residency requirement for gubernatorial candidates. Some Florida Democrats, however, floated McAuliffe's name speculatively.
A native of upstate New York, McAuliffe, 51, has lived in Virginia for about 17 years. He lives in the Washington, D.C., suburb of McLean.
Peter Jackson, spokesman for Deeds, said he would not be surprised if McAuliffe joined the race, "and we look forward to an open and honest discussion of how to keep Virginia moving forward after the Obama and Warner victories."
The Democratic nominee will face Republican Attorney General Bob McDonnell, who is unchallenged for his party's nomination.
McAuliffe would bring to the race a national fundraising base and profile that neither of his potential primary rivals could match. As chairman of New York Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, McAuliffe helped her raise tens of millions of dollars. As DNC chairman, he helped restore the fiscal health of a party that was broke and dispirited after Al Gore's wrenching 2000 presidential loss.
But McAuliffe also brings a political portfolio well to the left of Democrats Mark R. Warner and Kaine, who toiled in the state party for years before they were elected governor by pledging bipartisan cooperation and campaigning as moderates.
McAuliffe, however, does ride a crest of success the Democratic Party has not known in Virginia for generations.
Obama became the first Democrat to carry Virginia in a presidential race in 44 years. The party claimed both of the state's U.S. Senate seats for the first time since 1970, and it could control six of the state's 11 U.S. House seats if newcomer Tom Perriello holds his narrow lead over Republican Rep. Virgil Goode after an inevitable recount.
Only two states - Virginia and New Jersey - elect governors next year. In Virginia, Democrats will also make an all-out effort to end 10 years of GOP control of the 100-seat House of Delegates. With the resignation of Del. Terrie Suit to take a lobbying job, Republicans now control 52 House seats, not counting two independents who organize with them. Democrats will hold 43 seats after Del. Dwight Jones resigns to become Richmond's newly elected mayor. Special elections for both vacancies are likely on Jan. 6.
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On the Web:
McAuliffe's Web site: http://www.terrymcauliffe.com/
Moran's Web site: http://www.brianmoran.com/
Deeds' Web site: http://www.deedsforvirginia.com/

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1:12 p.m.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe signed papers Monday necessary to run for governor in Virginia next year.
McAuliffe told The Associated Press he set up a campaign committee and will tour Virginia for the next 60 days before making his candidacy certain.
He also said he would be announcing political advisers over the next week.
McAuliffe just finished a series of barnstorming campaign appearances across the state on behalf of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. In each, he rallied local party activists and volunteers for Obama and the Democratic ticket.
He said he won't formally announce a decision until Jan. 7, but neither his tone or nor his words were those of an undecided candidate.
"I think I can make a difference. I think I can go out and fight for people. I think I can create jobs. I think I can take this state in a new direction, and the thing I'd like to do, too, is to come out with some big, bold ideas. I think that's what this state has to hear," McAuliffe said in the interview.
McAuliffe would face two other Democrats who have been active for nearly a year in an already contentious nomination fight to succeed Democratic Gov. Timothy M. Kaine.
State Sen. Creigh Deeds narrowly lost the attorney general's race in 2005, and House Democratic Caucus chairman Brian Moran is also in the race.
"I think Brian and Creigh are terrific. They have been great legislators. I would bring something different," McAuliffe said.

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12:36 p.m.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe signed papers Monday for a possible run for governor next year in Virginia.

McAuliffe told The Associated Press he set up a campaign committee and will tour Virginia for the next 60 days before making his candidacy final.

He signed papers setting up his committee after a series of barnstorming campaign appearances across the state on behalf of Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

McAuliffe would face two other candidates already in the governor's race. State Senator Creigh Deeds narrowly lost the attorney general's race in 2005, and House Democratic Caucus chairman Brian Moran is also in the race.