Looking across the spectrum, the concept of conservative has been hijacked today by those who paradoxically want to starve government out of existence and want to expand government to enforce their narrow views of how to live private lives. Leftists, similarly, want government to enforce their views of how people should live life, and digress from conservatives in wanting as big a government as possible for big government’s sake. Progressives want a responsible, well-managed government that is fiscally disciplined, focused on growing the economy and a responsible approach to defense and security, and want a government that keeps its nose out of people’s private business.

Tim Kaine is that kind of progressive. A sensible centrist in line with the mainstream of America. His DNC tenure will serve to reinforce the centrist approach that has made Democrats successful in recent state and national elections. At some point Republicans will learn that the way back to the victory circle will not be to bash the Kaines of the world, but instead emulate them and move back from the extreme to the center of the political spectrum. It seems that we’re a few years away from that realization taking hold with the mainstream of the GOP as long as the view is that the likes of Tim Kaine are partisan.

“I am hopeful that Tim Kaine will be as successful with the Democrat Party’s finances as he has been with Virginia’s. Three years into Governor Kaine’s tenure, Virginia now has a deficit of $3 Billion and climbing. I and other Senate Republicans warned in March 2008 that Kaine’s budget estimates were absolutely ridiculous. He made economic assumptions in the face of a recession that were absurd, such as his assumption that private incomes would grow around 7% — In a recession!”

“That Governor Kaine will be spending even less time governing is bad news for Virginians in these difficult budgetary times, but good news for Republicans across the country.”

Kaine helped to lead a ground-breaking coordinated campaign in 2008, which led to the election of Senator Mark Warner, and Congressmen Glenn Nye (VA-02), Tom Perriello (VA-05) and Gerry Connolly (VA-11). On Tuesday, all four new Virginia leaders were sworn in on Capitol Hill.

“President-elect Obama’s decision to tap Governor Tim Kaine as the next Democratic National Committee Chair is a great honor for Virginia,” Congressman Connolly said. “I can’t think of a better choice to benefit Virginia, the nation, and the Democratic Party.

“Tim Kaine is uniquely qualified to lead the oldest political party in America, particularly at a time when building coalitions is critical to our nation’s future,” Connolly continued. “Governor Kaine is a results-oriented leader who has shown, time and again, that he is willing to work across the aisle to reach effective solutions to the issues facing our Commonwealth.”

Congressman-elect Tom Perriello praised Governor Kaine for the model he has provided for candidates to talk about their faith.

“Governor Kaine has been a mentor to me and a model of servant leadership as known in our faith tradition,” Perriello said. “He has always shown the ability to put the interests of others before his own, and I’m confident he will continue to be a servant leader as DNC Chair. Governor Kaine has shown that Democrats win when we focus on delivering results for working families.

“Without his leadership and guidance, I would not be here today. I’m pleased to see Governor Kaine’s likely selection as DNC Chair and I look forward to working with him to continue to deliver results for Virginia families.”

Congressman Glenn Nye added that Kaine served a key role in helping him to victory, which he celebrated with his swearing-in on Tuesday.

“Governor Kaine is absolutely the right pick to head the Democratic Party,” Nye said. “Throughout my campaign, Governor Kaine was one of my closest mentors, and his brand of commonsense, effective leadership is exactly what the country needs right now.”

Connolly also responded to political attacks on Governor Kaine, saying that Kaine’s selection should not serve as an excuse for state elected officials to hold up progress in Richmond.

“To those who are trying to poison the waters with partisan rhetoric as the Virginia General Assembly prepares to begin its 2009 session, I would suggest their comments about Governor Kaine are ill-founded and off-base,” Connolly said. “Tim Kaine has shown that he is quite adept at multi-tasking and I am confident he will continue to lead Virginia ably and responsibly.

“I applaud President-elect Obama for choosing Tim Kaine to lead the DNC and I applaud Governor Kaine for agreeing to take this critical position at a critical time in our nation’s history.”

“It is great news that Governor Kaine will be heading up the DNC. The Governor’s appointment is a reaffirmation of the power of the Virginia Democratic brand -and I can’t think of a better next step for the Democratic Party. Over the last seven years, Democrats have made huge gains in Virginia, specifically because we have focused on delivering results instead of partisanship. The Governor’s commitment to putting Virginia first is clear, and if he manages the DNC with even half the skill he’s shown at managing the state, the future will be very bright for Democrats. I’m also proud of Virginia for producing two of the last three DNC Chairs.”

“This is another example of Virginia leadership helping to fix what’s broken in Washington. Governor Kaine will join President-elect Obama at a critical point in our nation’s history, bringing the type of Virginia values and vision that Washington so desperately needs. Being Tim Kaine’s legislative partner has been a pleasure, and I wish him the very best.”

“The selection of Governor Tim Kaine as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee is a victory for Virginia Democrats, our national party, and portends many electoral victories in the years to come.

‘Our success as a state party began with Kaine and Governor Mark Warner’s elections in 2001 and continues to this day — winning the Governor’s mansion again in 2005; the election of Senator Jim Webb in 2006; returning the state Senate to Democratic control in 2007; the victories of Mark Warner for U.S. Senate, and Gerry Connolly, Glenn Nye and Tom Perriello for Congress last year; and, historically, giving President-elect Barack Obama the Commonwealth’s 13 electoral votes.

‘Governor Kaine knows as well as anyone else that there aren’t Democratic and Republican solutions because the challenges we face know no partisan stripes. But, he also knows that elections are about choices. This November, Virginians will have the opportunity to choose between keeping our Commonwealth moving forward and breaking with the Warner-Kaine brand of leadership that has brought us so far. I look forward to continuing my work with Tim Kaine in the weeks and months ahead, both in his role as Governor of the Commonwealth and leader of our Party.”