Leslie Byrne Announces Exploratory Committee for 11th CD

H/t to Ben and Lowell for this.

Does anybody doubt where my sympathies lie? First of all, everybody in labor knows Leslie Byrne is the "shop steward's daughter." That means her father was a leader in his union. It makes her family to the men and women in Virginia's organized labor movement.

And, yes, Leslie got out in front and was one of the first Democrats, along with Chap Peterson, in endorsing Jim Webb. So, I think she'll have a lot of union support and a good portion of the progressive blogosphere will be behind her.

That doesn't mean she'll necessarily have the nomination locked up. It just means lots of folks in Viriginia know her, know where she stands and respect her enormously. She starts with a huge advantage.

Personally, I've been an economic populist and a progressive all along so I'll be in Leslie's corner.