page_title: Mark Warner
section_title: 2008 election
hierarchical_section_title: Mark Warner / U.S. Senate / 2008 election
caption_attribution_description: Mark Warner accepts the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate at the Virginia State Democratic Convention on June 14, 2008.
context_page_description: Mark Robert Warner is an American businessman and politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Virginia, first elected in 2008. He is a member of the Democratic Party and currently a Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus and the Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
  Prior to his Senate career, Warner was the 69th Governor of Virginia holding the office from 2002 to 2006, and is the honorary chairman of the Forward Together PAC. Warner delivered the keynote address at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Apart from politics, Warner is also known for his involvement in telecommunications-related venture capital during the 1980s; he founded the firm Columbia Capital.
  In 2006, he was widely expected to pursue the Democratic nomination in the 2008 U.S. presidential election; however, he announced in October 2006 that he would not run, citing a desire not to disrupt his family life. Warner was considered to be a potential vice presidential candidate, until he took himself out of consideration after winning the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate.
context_section_description: Warner was believed to be preparing to run for the Democratic nomination for president in 2008, and had "done everything but announce his candidacy" before suddenly stating in October 2006 he would not run for president, citing family reasons. Warner declared on September 13, 2007 that he would run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retiring John Warner (no relation) in 2008.
  Warner immediately gained the endorsement of most national Democrats. He held a wide lead over his Republican opponent, fellow former Virginia governor Jim Gilmore (and Warner's predecessor), for virtually the entire campaign. Warner delivered the keynote address at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
  In a Washington Post/ABC News Poll dated September 24, 2008, Warner held a 30-point lead over Gilmore.
  In the November election, Warner defeated Gilmore, taking 65 percent of the vote to Gilmore's 34 percent. Warner carried all but four counties in the state—Rockingham, Augusta, Powhatan and Hanover. In many cases, he ran up huge margins in areas of the state that have traditionally voted Republican. This was the most lopsided margin for a contested Senate race in Virginia since Chuck Robb took 72 percent of the vote in 1988. As a result of Warner's victory, Virginia had two Democratic U.S. Senators for the first time since Harry Byrd, Jr. left the Democrats to become an independent (while still caucusing with the Democrats) in 1970.
caption: Warner accepts the nomination as the Democratic candidate for the Senate
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