Republican and former Virginia governor James S. "Jim" Gilmore has filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to form a presidential exploratory committee. Here's a wire story on Gilmore's announcement. Gilmore brings solid national security and anti-terrorism credentials to the race.
Gilmore says he hopes to win the backing of the party's social conservatives, though you'd have to consider him a long-shot given his lack of name recognition and that he hasn't raised a dime while other candidates for the nomination have raised millions. Plus, he's not the only long-shot candidate vying to win the nomination by winning the hearts of social conservatives. Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, Rep. Duncan Hunter of California and Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas are also in the race, along with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
But... we're told that the GOP's conservative wing isn't happy about McCain or Giuliani and are nervous about Romney. So here comes a former governor who is a tax-cutting Reaganite conservative with solid credentials on national security/terrorism issues, as I'll detail more about below. So, why is Gilmore a long-shot? Money, plain and simple. Or, rather, the lack of it.
He's not a "star" in the party, which means conventional wisdom is he can't raise enough money to be competitive. I hope the conventional wisdom is wrong, and that Gilmore finds some way - the Internet, perhaps - to be competitive and to contribute his experience and leadership to the primaries.
Gilmore said he is getting into the race "because I believe that this nation needs conservative leadership. Alone among those considering a candidacy for the Republican nomination, I have a record of real leadership as a tax cutter and job creator, as a leader on national security issues, and as a national leader in our party."
Gilmore said, "I intend to move quickly to form a national campaign team and to make my decision on moving to a formal candidacy."
Gilmore was the governor of Virginia from 1998-2002. A former Army counter-intelligence agent, he chaired the Congressional "Gilmore Commission" from 1999 to 2003 to assess America's terrorism response capabilities. The Gilmore Commission was officially known as the "U.S. Congressional Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction," by the way.
Mr. Gilmore is now serving as Chairman of the National Council on Readiness and Preparedness, a non-profit community-based grassroots organization to strengthen homeland security and provide forums to develop a national strategy that includes the local first responders, small and large business, and the leaders of many communities throughout America.
A former Chairman of the Republican National Committee and Republican Governors Association, Gilmore is currently a partner at the Washington office of Kelley Drye Collier Shannon, where he chairs the Homeland Security Practice Group.
There's no Gilmore campaign website yet, or I'd give you the link.
Meanwhile, I'm going to make a prediction: Hunter bows out first.
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