US Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) questions Special Envoy for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 27, 2021.
Susan Walsh | pool | reuters
Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia announced Friday that he would seek a third term in office, snuffing out speculation that the former vice presidential candidate could retire and open up his prized Senate seat in a tough election cycle.
“I’m a servant, I love Virginia, I’m proud of what I’ve done, I have a lot to do,” Cain, 64, said at a press event in the state capital, Richmond.
He made the announcement after holding a roundtable with city leaders.
Cain has made a steady climb up the political ladder in Virginia over nearly three decades, serving on Richmond’s city council before becoming mayor, then lieutenant governor, governor and finally senator.
He stepped into the national spotlight in 2016 when then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton tapped him as her running mate. Clinton-Kaine ticket after losing to former president Donald Trump And to his vice president, Mike Pence, Kaine returned to Virginia in 2018 after winning a second Senate term.
“I am pleased to announce that I will seek re-election in 2024 to continue to deliver results for Virginia. I look forward to serving people as a missionary, civil rights advocate, and elected official at the local, state, and federal levels. I love the Commonwealth and its citizens and want to continue to be your senator,” Kaine said in a press release.
The announcement comes as Democrats could face a tougher Senate map in 2024, even though they performed better than expected in last year’s midterm elections. It also comes amid some uncertainty about Pres. Joe BidenJoe, at 80, the oldest president in US history, will seek re-election in 2024.
“Tim Kaine has proven to be an exemplary senator who continues to serve Virginia and our country time and time again,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y, said in a statement to NBC News.
“Tim has fought tirelessly for his home state and for working families, and I am confident that his best years are yet to come,” Schumer said.