Former Va. Gov. Gilmore Sets Up Exploratory Presidential Campaign

January 9, 2007

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore has set up an exploratory presidential campaign for 2008. Gilmore's aide, Matt Williams, says the Republican filed papers today with the Federal Election Commission in Washington to form the Jim Gilmore for President Exploratory Committee. Williams said Gilmore was in a meeting and not immediately available for comment.

Gilmore, who's 57, said in interviews last month that he didn't see a true conservative running for president, and said he would assess his own chances for a presidential run. Gilmore was elected governor in 1997 by promising to cut Virginia's property tax that local governments levy on personal cars and pickup trucks.

He becomes the sixth Republican to form an exploratory committee for 2008 after former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Arizona Senator John McCain, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson and Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas.