With three potential pickup campaigns in very close position with the GOP (Davis-Petersen (Toss Up); ???-Pollard (Slight-Lean GOP); Cuccinelli-Oleszek (Slight-Lean GOP) Democrats are waiting to hear what Senator Chuck Colgan will do. Colgan represents a fast growing, GOP district that would Lean-GOP pickup if he retires.
Should he run, he will begin the campaign as the favorite and Democrats will have a serious chance to draw 20-20 in the Senate with their top 3 challengers, with another two challenges to Rerras and O'Brien as possible races that could move into the top tier and tip the Senate to the Democrats. A 20-20 Senate by precedent would mean evenly divided committees where either party could kill any bill, and GOP floor control for two years, with the second two years determined by party control of the Lt. Governorship in 2009.
UPDATE:
COLGAN WILL SEEK 9TH TERM
State Senator Charles J. Colgan, D. Prince William County announced that he will seek the Democratic Party nomination in June and seek his 9th term as a member of the Virginia State Senate. Colgan was first elected to the Senate in 1975 and took office on January 8, 1976. Prior to serving the Senate he served four years on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors representing the Gainesville District, one year as Chairman of the Board.
Colgan is the senior member of the Senate and serves on the Senate Finance Committee, Committee on Commerce and Labor, General Laws and Technology Committee, Rules Committee and is a member of the Senate and House Joint Rules Committee.
The Republican Party presently controls the Senate by a margin of 23 Republicans and 17 Democrats. Should the Democrats succeed in picking up 4 seats in the 2007 November election, Colgan would become Chairman of the very powerful Senate Finance Committee and become President Pro-Tempore of the Senate.
Colgan has served on the budget Conference Committee for 16 years and has succeeded in diverting millions of dollars into his District and Northern Virginia. The presence of George Mason University in Prince William County is due in no small measure of Colgan’s efforts to acquire funds to construct the George Mason University buildings. His effort also resulted in an additional building at the Northern Virginia Community College in Manassas and Woodbridge and during the 2007 session of the General Assembly his amendment to build a third building at the Manassas Campus was approved.
Colgan has consistently been named one of Virginia’s most effective legislators by the Virginia Foundation for Research and Economic Education, Inc.,which does an annual poll of more than 500 lobbyist in Richmond.
Colgan’s wife Agnes passed away in January 2001, and they are the parents of eight children, twenty-three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Colgan will be honored by the Northern Virginia Community College graduation ceremony on May 14 with the presentation of the Gold Medilor the highest award which the college can bestow on a citizen. Earlier this year, Colgan and Delegate Vince Callahan, Chairman of the House of Delegates Appropriation Committee were honored by George Mason University with similar awards.
Colgan and his family organized and built Colgan Air, Inc., a Regional Airline at the Manassas Regional Airport. The company was sold recently to Pinnacle Airlines of Memphis, Tennessee. However, the Colgan family will continue to operate the airline.
In 1980, Colgan became the 17th member inducted into the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame.
Did the Senate Democratic caucus and Kaine coax him into running again, or is he going to enjoy his millions and retire? If Colgan doesn't run, Friedman would have a tough race against Fitzsimmonds.
Posted by: asmith | March 30, 2007 at 01:52 PM
damn!
Posted by: | March 30, 2007 at 01:52 PM
I've heard nothing but bad news for Democrats on this one. Magic 8-ball says: indications point to retirement.
Posted by: Webb Defeats Allen | March 30, 2007 at 02:21 PM
Magic 8-ball was wrong! Yippee!!
Posted by: Webb Defeats Allen | March 30, 2007 at 03:00 PM
Hooray for Chuck Colgan!
Posted by: Ghost of Henry Howell | March 30, 2007 at 03:26 PM
Why did Colgan fail to mention transportation or growth in his announcement?
Posted by: Hamilton | March 30, 2007 at 03:34 PM
Colgan, Colgan, take me away!
Posted by: | March 30, 2007 at 03:42 PM
With Chuck Colgan running again, he stands a much better chance of winning than if he were not running. And if he manages to get more votes than his competitors, I predict the Dems will hold onto this seat.
Just my two cents, dude.
Posted by: fannyboy | March 30, 2007 at 04:24 PM
Phew.
Posted by: brimur | March 30, 2007 at 04:49 PM
Thank God!
Posted by: asmith | March 30, 2007 at 05:03 PM
A tough hill to climb for Fitzimmonds. Not impossible, but damn tough. Colgan is a good man and I don't think he will do this half-assed.
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Posted by: Term Papers | December 09, 2009 at 07:33 AM
oh god, I'm so sorry for his lost, I guess she most need some help with those 23 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren
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