Gov. Kaine is tapped to be Democratic Party chairman

RICHMOND

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will become chairman of the Democratic National Committee this month while serving the final year of his term leading the state government, several sources close to the governor said Sunday.

Kaine, who denied interest in the DNC post after November's elections, reportedly changed his mind at the urging of President-elect Barack Obama, a close political friend of the governor.

Kaine's press secretary did not return phone calls Sunday night, and spokesmen for Obama's transition team declined to comment on the

appointment. Two Democrats close to the governor, who asked not to be identified because they did not want to pre-empt Kaine or Obama, said the formal announcement is imminent.

The post will bring national exposure to Kaine, 50. He will be called on to travel widely and appear on Sunday morning news shows, touting Obama's policies and raising money for Democratic candidates.

The appointment will also raise political and policy stakes in Virginia, which faces a $2.9 billion budget shortfall over the next 18 months. Kaine recently urged the legislature to cut education, restrict access to Medicaid and double the cigarette tax.

To keep his focus on Virginia, Kaine reportedly will be a "part-time" DNC chairman until his gubernatorial term ends in January 2010. Virginia is the only state in the nation that bars governors from serving successive terms.

The post will position Kaine to direct large amounts of national political money into Virginia this year when the three top jobs in state government - governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general - are up for election as well as all 100 seats in the House of Delegates.

The House races have unusual stature this year. Democrats are hoping to win a handful of new seats to win a majority in the chamber and control the constitutionally required redrawing of House districts in 2011. The party in charge typically draws districts to allow it to expand its majority.

Kaine and Obama, both graduates of Harvard Law School, have been allies for several years. Obama campaigned in Virginia for Kaine in 2005. Kaine repaid the favor by becoming one of the first office holders to endorse Obama' s presidential bid.

Kaine served as a national co-chairman for Obama's campaign and was considered for the vice presidency. The governor helped Obama win Virginia's 13 electoral votes in November, marking the first time in 44 years that the state had backed a Democratic presidential candidate.

After the election, Kaine said he was not interested in becoming DNC chairman. "I don't view that, frankly, as consistent with being governor, so I'm going to be governor, " Kaine said at a Richmond news conference. "I would view it as taking my eye too much off the ball about things that need to happen here. "

Republicans in the General Assembly have often accused Kaine of being more focused on politics than policy. House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith reacted cautiously to the governor's appointment.

"I'm not really surprised," he said. "The question will be whether he will give Virginia the time it needs. Time will tell. "

The last Virginia governor to head a national party was Jim Gilmore, who in 2001 was named chairman of the Republican National Committee. Gilmore resigned the chairmanship in less than a year after disagreements with the Bush administration.

Terry McAuliffe, of McClean, who is in this year's race for Virginia governor, was DNC chairman from 2001 to 2005.

Kaine will succeed former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean as party chairman.

Warren Fiske, (804) 697-1565, warren.fiske@pilotonline.com