Stephen J. Farnsworth, a political science professor at University of Mary Washington, said it is wise for any Democrat running in a statewide election in Virginia to “distance himself from an unpopular president.”
“Warner has always presented himself as a bipartisan compromiser, back to his days as governor. When he argues that he is a centrist and is trying to work with Republicans, he has a track record to suggest that this is not some sort of election-year conversion,” Farnsworth said.