Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) has decided to run for Virginia governor in 2013, according to an anonymous Republican source. The decision sets up a potential clash for the Republican nomination between Cuccinelli and Republican Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, who had intended to run for the position in 2013 as well. Cuccinelli, 43, is a tea party conservative who was among the first state attorneys general to file a suit against President Barack Obama’s health care law.
Cuccinelli’s aggressive stance on controversial issues has led opponents to criticize him of using his office to further his political agenda. He advised state colleges that they lack the legal authority to adopt nondiscrimination policies protecting gay people. He has led the suit against the federal health-care overhaul, and recently appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.
