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Is Virginia Congressman Bobby Scott Eyeing a Senate Seat?

Evan Vucci
/
AP

Virginia Beach Congressman Bobby Scott is stepping up his fundraising efforts and forming a new political action committee. It’s the clearest sign yet that he’s angling for the Senate seat that might be vacated by Tim Kaine if he becomes vice president. 

Until a few weeks ago, Bobby Scott was the only member of Congress from Virginia who did not have a leadership PAC. Those are the campaign accounts that let members of Congress in safe seats raise money for their colleagues who are at risk. 

A few weeks ago, Scott created Strengthening Virginia’s Working Families PAC.

“Many members have these political action committees. It’s just an opportunity to raise more money," said Scott.

When pressed on why now, Scott answered that he's decided to raise a little more money.

Scott is going to need that money, says Geoff Skelley at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

“To some degree, he’s playing catchup a little bit if he’s going to be appointed because if he’s appointed to that seat, he’s got to run in a special election in 2017," Skelley said. "And if he wins that he’s got to run in the regular general election in 2018."

That’s two back to back statewide elections, one to fill Kaine’s unexpired term and another to win a full term for himself. That means whoever is appointed to Kaine’s Senate seat will have to start raising larges amounts of money fast.

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