Mark Warner enjoyed great popularity as the Governor of Virginia, and Tim Kaine has enjoyed similar popularity by following a Warner-style formula of centrist politics.

If you’ve heard Warner during this political season, you’ve heard him speak about ending the partisan politics that divides this country and his insistence on making America more competitive. So it’s no surprise that his campaign told the New River Voice that Waner’s “top priority would be to build a bipartisan coalition of ‘radical centrist’ senators that would work together to pass common sense legislation to address a number of challenges facing the Commonwealth and the country such as our energy and health care crises, investing in infrastructure, improving education, and creating a national competitiveness strategy.”

Warner’s moderate message has been popular in Southwest Virginia, where Warner originally built his political popularity in a conservative region despite being a fast-talking Democrat with northern roots.

Warner won the Governor’s race in 2001 with the support of Southwest Virginia and went on the become a successful leader in the Commonwealth. In 2005, the magazine Governing rated Virginia as the best-governed state in the nation. During his time as governor, Warner pulled Virginia out of the financial ruin that was left for him by his current Republican opponent Jim Gilmore.

Under Warner’s leadership, Forbes magazine called Virginia the “best state for business” and Education Week magazine named Virginia the best state for a child’s education. Warner proved as Governor that he can avoid partisan bickering and bring people together to get things accomplished. And because of that Warner has received political endorsements from Republicans and Democrats. We’ve also seen Warner yard signs gracing lawns in conjunction with signs from both presidential tickets.

It should be mentioned that he also enjoys the support of an array of groups such as the Virginia Education Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Fraternal Order of Police of Virginia, and the Virginia Credit Union League.

We applaud Warner’s platform on seeing alternative energy sources but we disagree with Warner that “clean coal” technology and nuclear energy should be included in such discussions.

We believe, though, that with his business acumen and pragmatist views, Warner will quickly become a successful U.S. Senator representing the Commonwealth of Virginia.