Bolling to skip independent bid for Va. governor

Republican Bill Bolling said Tuesday he will not run for Virginia governor as an independent, which will refocus the high-profile race into a two-person brawl.

Bolling, currently the state's lieutenant govenor, said in an e-mail to supporters that he was unwilling to sever his lifelong GOP ties and uncertain he could raise enough money to run a winning campaign against Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Ken Cuccinelli. He also criticized the "hyper-partisan" and "mean-spirited" nature of politics today.

"In many ways I fear that the 'Virginia way' of doing things is rapidly being replaced by the 'Washington way' of doing things and that's not good for Virginia," Bolling said. "This makes it more difficult to govern effectively and get things done. While I still value public service a great deal, the truth is that I just don't find the political process to be as enjoyable as I once did."

The governor's race in Virginia, one of two major states holding elections this November, will be closely watched for signs of political trends. Virginia is considered a key swing state in presidential elections, but Republicans have done well in recent statewide contests. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, a Republican, cannot run again because of term limits.

Bolling abandoned a race for the GOP nomination against Cuccinelli, the state's attorney general, last November because Virginia picks its nominees at conventions and not in primaries. Cuccinelli, a fierce critic of the national health care law, is a darling of conservatives who take active roles in Virginia GOP conventions.

Public opinion polls by Quinnipiac University and others show a tight race between Cuccinelli and McAuliffe, a former Democratic National Committee chairman and close friend of the Clintons.

The other governor's race this year is in New Jersey, but GOP Gov. Chris Christie has a strong double-digit lead over Democratic state Sen. Barbara Buono.