The Nigh Seen Creeder

Looks like Virginia voters may have an opportunity to atone for Jim Webb - whose personality would have to improve immeasurably for him to be considered an ***hole - by sending a true Military Man to the U.S. Senate ...

"Virginia Republicans will hold a convention instead of a primary to choose their candidate to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. John W. Warner," GOPUSA reports.

"The state party's central committee voted 47-37 on Saturday in favor of a convention. No date or location was decided. ...

"Supporters of a convention argued that it's more economical and that the party would avoid a divisive public squabble between GOP rivals in a primary. Republicans locked in a bitter primary, they said, would spend millions of dollars tearing each other down while the Democrats stockpiled contributions."

This is welcome news to conservatives in Virginia who are trying to convince retired General Peter Pace to enter next year's Senate race. Pace would be at a decided disadvantage - in terms of both name i.d. and money - in a conventional primary campaign against U.S. Rep. Tom Davis and/or former Governor Jim Gilmore. A convention will allow him to play to his advantage: a well-organized grassroots campaign full of committed-to-the-cause conservatives.

What's so attractive about Gen. Pace? The October 22 National Review tells us about him:

"Gen. Peter Pace has stepped down as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and retired from the Marines. Virginia Republicans should try to draft him for a new mission: a Senate campaign. Republican John Warner recently announced that he won’t seek a new term in 2008. Pace would be an attractive candidate. He is a social conservative with impeccable military credentials. He’s certainly more appealing than either of the two major Republicans who are preparing to run, Rep. Tom Davis and former governor Jim Gilmore. Neither Davis nor Gilmore is pro-life. On Iraq, both are actually to the left of Warner, whose own position on the war has been far from resolute. Moreover, either one would be a serious underdog to Mark Warner, a popular former governor who is the Democrats’ likely nominee. Pace would be an underdog as well, but his candidacy would have the potential to excite conservatives. And our troops need more champions in the Senate."