LISTEN: Kaine Heads Back To Senate, But Is A 2020 Presidential Run Ahead?

Heather Curtis
WMAL.com

WASHINGTON – Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine won’t be the next vice president, but he may be eyeing a 2020 presidential run.

“To some degree Kaine will have built up a little bit of an advantage, at least, sort of a little head start because he’ll have met and communicated with a lot of leaders in the party around the country, and that could give him the basis to start a national campaign,” said University of Virginia political analyst Geoffrey Skelley.

As he finishes his term in the Senate, Kaine will remain in the national spotlight.

“Under a Republican president, Democratic senators are gonna get a lot of attention, and a lot of reporters are gonna keep an eye on what Kaine has to say, so his national profile is likely to be greater than some other senators,” said University of Mary Washington political science professor Dr. Stephen Farnsworth.

After Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney lost the 2012 election, his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan became more prominent because of the national exposure he gained during the presidential race, and was eventually drafted by House Republicans to become Speaker of the House..

Skelley and Farnsworth agree Kaine is likely to make the short list of Democratic presidential candidates in 2020.

But now, Kaine has a more pressing question to answer – will he run for re-election when his Senate term ends in 2018? Skelley and Farnsworth both think he may.

Clinton won Virginia by about 5 percentage points, an indication the Commonwealth continues to skew blue, according to Skelley. That would be good for Kaine’s re-election chances.