Warner likely to stay in Senate with McAuliffe making second Virginia governor run

Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe's decision to run again for Virginia governor is being seen as a sign that Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) will likely remain in the Senate rather than run again for his old job.

There had been speculation that Warner would run for governor instead of seeking a second term in the Senate. But Hampton Mayor Molly Ward (D) told a local paper that Warner had given McAuliffe "the green light" to run, which he likely would not have done if he wanted the seat back himself.

Warner is Virginia's most popular politician. His seat is up in 2014 and starts off his Senate race as a favorite against any opponent. But if Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) decides to run, the race could be turn into another hard-fought battle of the titans between two well-known figures in the state, much like the recently concluded race between Sen.-elect Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and former Sen. George Allen (R-Va.).