Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine announces he's running for reelection in 2024 - CNN

CNN  — 

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia announced Friday that he’s moving for reelection successful 2024.

“I person been truly grappling with what to bash with respect to my clip successful the Senate, and I’m precise blessed to denote that I’m going to tally for a 3rd word successful the Senate,” helium told reporters astatine an lawsuit successful Richmond, Virginia.

Kaine’s announcement volition apt travel arsenic a alleviation to Democrats arsenic they look a hard 2024 representation and an uphill ascent to clasp their constrictive majority. An unfastened Virginia spot could person made for a competitory race. The Virginia governorship flipped Republican successful 2021.

Video from Kaine’s lawsuit Friday was provided by CNN affiliate WTVR successful Richmond.

Kaine, a erstwhile Virginia politician who was Hillary Clinton’s moving mate in her 2016 statesmanlike campaign, explained his determination connected Friday, saying, “Here’s wherefore successful conversations with friends and particularly with Anne and my household I’ve decided to tally for a 3rd term. I’m a servant. I emotion Virginia. I’m arrogant of what I’ve done. I got a full batch much I privation to do. So those are the 4 reasons.”

Kaine was archetypal elected to the US Senate successful 2012. During a roundtable treatment Friday earlier his announcement, helium told participants helium ran for Senate aft 16 years successful authorities and section bureau due to the fact that determination were issues helium wanted to “get done,” including tribal recognition, matrimony equality, migration betterment and advances successful weapon safety.

“We’ve done 2 of the four,” helium said, adding that helium thought the clip mightiness beryllium ripe to scope a long-sought woody connected migration reform. “My gut tells me, and immoderate of my conversations with colleagues, that the super-low unemployment complaint successful the state is opening the doorway again to a truly bully migration betterment discussion.”

Maggie Abboud, a spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said successful a statement, “Virginians person shown they’re consenting to ballot Republican with the close campaigner and the close governmental environment.”

“We’re going to support a adjacent oculus connected Virginia and absorption connected recruiting a beardown campaigner who tin rise the resources indispensable to compete,” Abboud said.

This communicative has been updated with further developments.