Quote of note:

Jarding said Webb's story -- a decorated Republican veteran turned Democrat -- is compelling enough to help Democrats defeat Allen.

"This is Ronald Reagan's secretary of the Navy saying, 'The Democratic Party is closer to my ideals,' " Jarding said. "This is the genuine, real deal."

Reagan Navy Secretary Will Run for U.S. Senate
By Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 8, 2006; B05

RICHMOND, Feb. 7 -- James Webb, who served as President Ronald Reagan's Navy secretary, said Tuesday that he will seek the Democratic nomination to run against U.S. Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) this year, hoping to challenge the one-term incumbent on foreign policy and the conduct of the war in Iraq.

"I don't wake up in the morning wanting to be a U.S. senator," Webb said in an interview. "I wake up every morning very concerned about the country. We need to put some focus back in our foreign policy, a different focus."

Webb, who has been flirting with a Senate bid for months, declined to elaborate about his decision or his campaign plans. But he said he will file papers this week to officially become a candidate. He said he will formally announce his plans as early as next week.

"Yes, we're going to file papers later this week," he said. In addition to a focus on foreign policy, he said his campaign would "look very hard at all the notions of fairness in our society."

Allen's chief of staff, Dick Wadhams, said of Webb's announcement: "Senator Allen has always expected a competitive race. We will run on competitiveness, national security and values."

Before he can face Allen, though, Webb needs to get past former lobbyist Harris Miller, who announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination last month. Miller quit his job as head of the Information Technology Association of America to run.

"I can make a difference by focusing on the future instead of getting caught up in cheap partisan politics," Miller said last month.