Over the weekend, the Republican Party of Virginia opted for a convention rather than a statewide primary vote to choose its nominee for retiring Senator John Warner’s seat in 2008. According to UVA professor and political pundit Larry Sabato, conventions do not bode well for perceived moderates like Rep. Tom Davis (R-Fairfax County) because delegates’ politics tend to skew to the party’s base, and could derail the seven-term congressman’s Senate campaign before it begins. “It’s a major help in dissuading Davis from running, which is far from a sure thing,” says Sabato. “I think it will give him pause.”
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