Prince William County Supervisor Corey Stewart will formally announce Wednesday plans to run for lieutenant governor in Virginia in 2013.
Stewart, a Republican, serves as chairman of the county’s Board of Supervisors and has long indicated he would seek the office. He spent much of the last three months traveling the state to rally Republicans around his candidacy.
Wednesday’s official announcement will likely pit Stewart against Pete Snyder, chairman of the state GOP’s coordinated campaign effort in 2012, for the Republican nomination to replace Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling. Stewart flirted with the idea of running for the same job in 2009 but dropped out when Bolling sought a second term.
Snyder has not formally launched a campaign.
The profile of the lieutenant governor’s office, long seen as a part-time gig with few duties and low pay, has increased under Bolling’s watch. With the Virginia Senate currently split between 20 Democrats and 20 Republicans, Bolling’s tie breaking vote came into play often in this year’s session, helping to advance some of the most controversial conservative legislation.
Bolling also serves as Gov. Bob McDonnell’s chief jobs creation officer, promoting his fiscal credentials ahead of next year’s election. Bolling is expected to run against Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli for the party’s gubernatorial nomination.
