I have noted that Rep. Tom Davis, Senator John Warner’s heir apparent, wouldn’t be a trade-up for Virginia conservatives. Former Governor Jim Gilmore wouldn’t be much of one either. Like Davis, Gilmore is pro-choice (supports abortion during the first trimester). On the war in Iraq, he is to the left of Davis. In a Washington Post op-ed in June, he argued for a “limited deliberate drawdown” of American troops, though earlier in the year he had backed the surge. He acknowledged that the U.S. can’t “abandon Iraq,” so favored fewer troops with a limited mission. Although during his term he significantly cut the state’s unpopular car tax, local anti-tax activists criticize Gov. Gilmore for big spending increases during his tenure. In the absence of a solid conservative GOP successor, a Warner announcement that he will seek another (final) term could be welcome news. Amazing.