Former DNC chair declares for Va. governor

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MCLEAN, Va., Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe says he has decided to run for governor of Virginia.

McAuliffe, 51, of McLean, Va., made the announcement Saturday in a three-minute video e-mailed to supporters, The Washington Post reported. In it, he said a two month tour of the state convinced him that his experience made him a good fit for Virginia on job creation, public schools improvement and energy independence.

His competitors in the June Democratic primary include state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds of Bath County and former state delegate Brian Moran of Alexandria. But McAuliffe ignored them and instead drew a contrast between himself and Republican nominee Attorney General Robert McDonnell.

The Post said McAuliffe portrayed himself as a natural successor to former Democratic Gov. Mark Warner, elected to the U.S. Senate in November, and to current Gov. Timothy Kaine, whose term ends in Jan. 2010 and who is prevented by state law from running again.

Warner and Kaine, McAuliffe said, "know that not every good idea comes out of Richmond. When it comes to fixing our economy, there's no such thing as a Republican job or a Democratic job. It's about bringing people together to create good jobs."