Virginia Republican worries Allen can't 'shake off macaca moment'

Virginia Republican Corey Stewart sounds like he's readying an aggressive primary campaign against former Sen. George Allen (R-Va.). 

The chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors told The Ballot Box Monday that he's seriously considering a bid and claimed Allen's announcement has been met with "ambivalence" from some GOP activists. 

"I always knew Allen would face some adversity from Tea Party activists and the like because of his weak record in the Senate," said Stewart. "But what I'm hearing more and more among Republican activists and donors is their ambivalence toward Allen." 

Stewart, who is heading to Richmond, Va. on Tuesday to talk to party activists and court donors ahead of his own likely Senate bid, said he, along with other Republicans in the state, is "concerned that [Allen's] not going to be able to shake off the 'macaca' moment." 

Allen lost to Democrat Jim Webb by fewer than 10,000 votes in 2006 after a nasty campaign highlighted by a gaffe that likely cost him the race. Allen was caught on tape referring to a Webb campaign staffer as "macaca," a moment that placed the race firmly in the national spotlight.

Stewart said the "tepid" response that Allen has been met with from grassroots conservatives over the past month makes him even more inclined to get into the race, adding that he expects to make a decision by the spring. 

Even with the advantage in name id and fundraising, Allen faces what could be a tough Republican primary. 

Tea Party activist Jamie Radtke is already in the contest and used Allen's entrance into the race Monday to again challenge him to weekly town hall forums across the state. 

Radtke has slammed Allen's fiscal record in the Senate and also called on him Monday to "explain his record on deficit 

"Twelve years ago when George Allen was running for the U.S. Senate, he pledged his commitment to a balanced budget, reducing spending and reducing the debt," Radtke said in a statement. "Then he went to Washington and voted for spending measures that increased our national debt by $3.1 trillion and voted for $90 billion in earmarks."  

Radtke also received a boost of support from conservative blogger Erick Erickson Monday, who warned on RedState that Allen's record is "out of step with most of the grassroots activists engaged in Republican primaries today." 

In a statement, Allen spokeswoman Katie Wright said the former senator looks forward to "a spirited campaign."

"George Allen has attended hundreds of town halls, rallies and meetings across Virginia listening to the concerns of Virginians worried that Washington is ignoring their views and values," Wright said. "He looks forward to a spirited campaign to discuss the issues important to Virginians like balancing our budget, repealing and replacing health care, and creating opportunities for more jobs." 

-Updated at 4:21 p.m.