As first reported on Bearing Drift and now picked up by the Washington Post:
“We’re very seriously evaluating the feasibility of an independent campaign,” Bolling said. “I have been meeting with a number of business leaders across the state to discuss that possibility. We’ve done some polling to assess where we might stand in a three-way race. There’s a lot of due diligence to be done to asses the feasibility of an independent campaign for governor, and we continue in the process of doing that due diligence.”
Bolling has not been raising money, something he will be prohibited from doing during the 30-day General Assembly session that begins next week. Even without that prohibition, Bolling said he would not raise funds unless and until he decides to run. He said he expects to make a decision by early March.
Skeptics still doubt the longtime Republican loyalist will cross his party — even a party that spurned him in favor of his chief rival, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R), by changing the way the GOP nominee will be selected.
This after recent activity online attempting to show netroots support for an independent bid all but locks up the speculation.
Two questions remain: (1) Is Bolling serious about this effort (2) even if it means he’s simply the spoiler?
For conservatives who were in the cold when Bolling and McDonnell made the deal to go to primary, this sure ingratiates the rank-and-file who — thought at times not patiently — waited their turn when nomination methods and contests did not go their way. To see that the shoe doesn’t go on the other foot? Well… that’s disappointing, but not entirely unexpected.
