GOP state senator expected to declare for Va. attorney general

State Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, R-Fairfax, is expected to declare his plan to run for attorney general in 2009 on Monday.

A patent lawyer and conservative Republican, Cuccinelli was elected to the General Assembly in a 2002 special election. He has been re-elected to the state Senate twice, most recently last year when he retained his office by a margin of about 100 votes.

His office Friday announced a Monday afternoon press conference in Fairfax County.

Cuccinelli’s announcement will come one week to the day after the current attorney general, Virginia Beach’s Bob McDonnell, got a boost in his bid to become the state’s next governor.

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a potential GOP candidate for governor, announced earlier this week that he will not challenge McDonnell and instead will seek re-election to his current office next year.