It’s good to be Timothy M. Kaine these days principally because he’s not Mark Sanford. Virginia’s governor, like his counterpart in South Carolina, gets around, but Kaine, in senses platonic and political. So while South Carolina proceeds with inquiries to determine whether Sanford, the skunk, spent taxpayer cash to pursue l’amour in Argentina, Virginia Republicans have halted nosing into the possible use of state tax money to aid Kaine’s cross-country politicking as Democratic National Committee chairman. C’est la vie.

STAUNTON — Republican Jim Gilmore says despite being behind in the polls and in fund-raising a few days before the U.S. Senate election race against Democrat Mark Warner, his run for the office has been an enjoyable one.

Today shapes up as a busy day of politics in the area.

Virginia’s U.S. Senate race is anything but.

The two candidates hoping to succeed John Warner as a Virginia U.S. Senator mirror the growing partisan divide over the proposed $700 billion federal bailout of the country’s financial industry.

Despite being down in the polls and in fundraising, Virginia U.S. Senate Republican candidate Jim Gilmore believes he can win the November race against former Gov. Mark Warner if he is able to communicate a few key points — his plan for a comprehensive national energy policy, keeping federal tax cuts in place, keeping secret ballots in union elections and his record of trust.

BUENA VISTA — There were plenty of spectators, balloons, floats and pageantry — and some political fireworks — at the annual Buena Vista Labor Day parade Monday.

U.S. Senate hopefuls trade jabs over trust, management

On local campaign stop, Gilmore says oil crisis is top election issue

Campaign season is heating up and it’s not even Labor Day yet.