Presidential Hopeful Meets with Educators

Former Governor of Virginia paid a visit to ISEA on Thursday, April 20th for a roundtable discussion with a small group of educators. Governor Mark Warner was in Iowa in part to do a fundraiser for fellow Democrat, Congressman Leonard Boswell. In his three day swing through Iowa he also met with county party organizations. An early supporter of Governor Warner contacted ISEA to invite education leaders to meet with with this potential candidate for President in 2008.

Mark Warner served as Virginia's Governor from 2002-2006. In the final months of his gubernatorial term, Warner's poll ratings indicated that he is the most popular Virginia governor in a generation, with record approval ratings of 75%.

Warner is considered one of the top contenders for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in 2008 because of his wide appeal to independents and moderate Republicans, and his high popularity in a relatively Republican state.

Although Virginians rejected regional referendums led by Warner to raise the sales tax in 2002 for transportation, Warner worked with moderate Republican legislators and the business community to reform the tax code in 2004, lowering food and income taxes, and increasing the sales and cigarette taxes in 2004, despite his campaign pledge that he would not raise taxes. The action saved the state's AAA bond rating, held at the time by only 5 other states, and allowed the single largest investment in K-12 education in Virginia history. Warner chaired the National Governor's Association in 2004-2005 and led a national high school reform movement. He also chaired the Southern Governor's Association.