Gov. Timothy Kaine officially became chairman of the Democratic National Committee Wednesday, replacing former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, whose “50 state strategy” is often credited with helping President Barack Obama win the presidency.
Kaine will continue to perform his duties as governor until next January when he will leave office, Kaine spokesperson Gordon Hickey said, adding that the two positions’ responsibilities will allow Kaine to do both jobs effectively until the end of his gubernatorial term.
“A lot of the DNC work will be electronic and he’ll be doing [DNC business] long-distance,” Hickey said.
Long distance or not, Republican leaders are doubting whether Kaine will be able to successfully manage both jobs. Gerry Scimeca, spokesperson for the Republican Party of Virginia, questioned whether Kaine would be able to give his full attention to his gubernatorial responsibilities.
“It’s going to be a distraction,” Scimeca said, adding that Kaine’s new position is “especially inappropriate considering the state’s dire financial situation.”
Virginia Democrats, however, said they are confident in Kaine’s ability to fill both roles. Jared Leopold, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Virginia, said the governor “has been clear that he will focus on being governor first,” noting that he expects Kaine to be able to both guide the Democratic Party and the commonwealth in a time of economic crisis.
Leopold said Kaine’s appointment also reflects Virginia’s quality of leadership during the past several years.
“I think you’ll continue to see that effective style of leadership on the national stage,” Leopold said.
How Kaine performs in his new position could impact not only Virginia or the Democratic Party, Politics Prof. Larry Sabato said, but also Kaine’s personal considerations regarding other political offices in the future.
“Kaine’s reputation will be riding on [the upcoming Virginia gubernatorial election],” Sabato said, also noting that Kaine will be able to steer DNC funds to other Democratic politicians from Virginia who may stand to benefit during the upcoming race in the commonwealth. He added, however, that Kaine’s appointment will not have as significant an impact for Democrats on the national level.
“A party committee is less important when a president of the same party is in the White House,” Sabato said, explaining that most political affairs are run by the president instead of the committee chairman.
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