Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell announced this morning that he is resigning as Virginia Attorney General effective February 20 to focus on the gubernatorial race.
"The taxpayers deserve a full-time Attorney General," said McDonnell in a farewell address. "You deserve a full-time Attorney General. This campaign now demands a full-time candidate."
Because McDonnell is stepping down while the General Assembly is in session, it is the legislative body’s duty to choose his successor. He urged the General Assembly to appoint Deputy Chief Bill Mims.
"There is not a single person more qualified, or more prepared, to serve as Attorney General than Bill," he said.
McDonnell’s decision leaves Democrat Creigh Deeds, Charlottesville’s rep in the state senate, as the only gubernatorial candidate who is still employed.
That might not be a good thing for Deeds, who is restricted from fundraising while the General Assembly is in session and is falling behind his Democratic rivals in polling as well as fundraising.
According to a poll released yesterday, the Public Policy Polling survey found that Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe is tied in the lead with fellow Democratic candidate Brian Moran with 18 percent. Deeds is in third with 11 percent.