Allen to announce Senate run Monday
By Anita Kumar
Former senator George Allen (R) will officially announce Monday that he is running to reclaim his old job next year, according to sources close to Allen who were not authorized to speak publicly on his plans.
The former Virginia governor will announce his candidacy to supporters through an email and online video before filing his candidacy papers with the Federal Election Commission so he can begin raising money. But he will not launch his campaign publicly until later this year, probably Thomas Jefferson's birthday -- April 13 -- the formal start of his last two U.S. Senate races.
On Sunday, the homepage of his Website simply read: "Stay Tuned."
Allen spokesman Tim Nussbaum did not return messages Sunday.
Allen's candidacy would thrust him into a tough primary fight for the Republican nomination against several possible candidates running to the right of him and a possible rematch with Sen. James Webb (D) in what will likely be one of the most watched Senate races of the nation in 2012.
Webb told The Washington Post in December that he would announce a decision in the first quarter of this year.
As we reported last week, Allen has been calling Republican legislators and business leaders across the state to shore up support for his candidacy.
He has been lining up consultants, interviewing staff and searching for a campaign headquarters in Richmond. He is looking to return to the successes he had in the 1990s, surrounding himself with many of the same advisers and supporters he had during his days as Virginia governor and his first run for Senate.
Allen is talking to former advisers about rejoining him - lead consultant Boyd Marcus, adviser Dan Allen and pollster John McLaughlin, the sources said. Ben Marchi, state director of Americans for Prosperity who announced recently that he is leaving the organization after three years, is expected to become an adviser, too.
Allen is expected to open his campaign headquarters in Richmond - where it was for his first two statewide races. In 2006, he was criticized for moving his campaign headquarters from Richmond to Northern Virginia because some felt he was out of touch with the rest of the state.
Last month, Jamie Radtke, chairwoman of the Virginia Tea Party Patriots Federation, became the first Republican to jump in the race. Radtke, who did not seek a second term as tea party leader last month and who worked for Allen right out of college, challenged him to joint forums.
At least three others have said they are interested in running: Corey A. Stewart, chairman of the Prince William County board of supervisors; Del. Robert G. Marshall (R-Prince William) and Bert Mizusawa, a businessman and lawyer who ran against U.S. Rep. Scott Rigell.
