Warner could also hope that Virginia's senior senator, Republican John W. Warner, decides to retire in 2008, leaving an open seat ripe for the plucking.
What would the Democrats do if Mark Warner takes a pass?
A recent Democratic poll floated a couple of possibilities to take on Allen: former Navy secretary James Webb and former lieutenant governor Donald S. Beyer Jr., who lost a gubernatorial bid in 1997 to James S. Gilmore III (R).
Could Beyer make a comeback? The poll found that Beyer trailed Allen in a head-to-head race.
When nice things were said about Beyer, he pulled ahead a bit. When nice things were said about Allen, he leaped ahead of Beyer.
"Great. So as long as he doesn't talk, I win," Beyer said in an interview this week.
Since losing to Gilmore during his "No Car Tax" campaign, Beyer has gone back to selling cars at his chain of dealerships. He's also back in the political game. He served as national treasurer for Howard Dean's presidential bid and later raised money for Kerry.
Beyer said he is considering a run against Allen, but only if Warner doesn't.
"That would be a wonderful position to offer leadership from. The hurdle is trying to make sure it's a credible race," Beyer said.
Beyer said he could count on a "great national network from the Dean and Kerry campaigns" to raise money.
He said the fiscal realities of the car tax cut have finally sunk in for many Virginians. During the 1997 campaign, he warned that Gilmore's plan would be too costly. In recent years, many lawmakers in both parties have concluded that Beyer was right.
"I'd hate to have to run on it or against it again," Beyer said of the car tax issue. "Part of what I think about for five minutes in the middle of the night is whether this is really doable."
