Yesterday the world met Hank the Cat a feline prospect for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Virginia Democrat Jim Webb, who is retiring after one term. Fox 5 landed the in-person interview with the cat and his owner, er, campaign manager. more ›

Tim Kaine and George Allen take warning: There's a new candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Virginia Democrat Jim Webb, and if our experience with Internet trends is any guidance, this new arrival on the political scene could be a real scene-stealer. A cat. more ›

Senator Jim Webb, who won his seat in a big pickup for Democrats during the 2006 midterm elections, will not seek re-election in 2012, reports the Washington Times. more ›

Mike Allen reports this morning that former Virginia governor and Senator George Allen "plans to tell supporters within a week" that he'll be campaigning for the Senate seat currently held by Democrat Jim Webb. Webb defeated Allen in 2006 by a razor-thin margin, but questions have recently been raised about whether he will even run for re-election in 2012 due to a lack of fundraising. If Webb does decide to run, the race is predicted by many to be one of the most vigorous in the nation, especially as President Obama will look to hang on to the Old Dominion's support. more ›

>> Virginia Sen. Jim Webb has to work this week, too. [Politico] more ›

Written by DCist Contributor Ben Schuman-Stoler We all know about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, but probably mostly as a stop on the round-the-Mall tour we give visiting family and friends. If they ask, we tell them that a young woman won a competition in the '80s. They say, “Wow, that’s interesting. What a great memorial.” But it remains an emotional site, its message solemn and powerful, which we were reminded of when two acts of... more ›

Via PreservationNation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has started a campaign to save the original Tomb of the Unknowns, or Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as it's commonly called, at Arlington National Cemetery. Who would want to mess with the tomb? According to the National Trust, it's the folks who run Arlington National Cemetery themselves, as well as Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) -- perhaps one of the senate's most famous military veterans and fathers... more ›

Bloggers across this fair nation thought they couldn't get a bigger gift from a Virginia senate race than they did last year, after the epic and appalling Macacaness of Sen. George Allen's eventual defeat to Sen. Jim Webb. But via Wonkette, it would seem we could all have been wrong. Rumors are flying that Pat "Homosexuality is Not Only Immoral, but Filthy" Buchanan is considering a run at the seat being vacated by Sen. John... more ›

Even though the U.S. Senate is known as the best retirement home in America -- great healthcare, plenty of daily activities, and people continue to pay attention to you for some reason -- Virginia Sen. John Warner announced today that come next year, he's out. And while his announcement is big news, even bigger is the fight that's about to come to replace him. Consider the circumstances. The commonwealth is a political toss-up these days.... more ›

As the full Senate readies to debate and vote on legislation that would grant the District a voting seat in the House of Representatives, voting rights activists are focusing on two key senators -- Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.). According to people close to the lobbying effort, the legislation has garnered enough votes for a simple majority, but is still short of the votes needed to prevent a filibuster. And while... more ›

We do hope you had a pleasant, relaxing, not too horribly hot weekend, Washington. Even if you didn't, chances are your Monday morning is shaping up to be less of a hassle than it is for the staff of Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA). Webb finally admitted over the weekend that he owns the gun that his aide, Phillip Thompson, was arrested for carrying into the Capitol in March. What kept him from clearing up... more ›

It's Thursday, and while were out of commission last week, we're back this week with your weekly transit news, all packaged up and ready for delivery. After the jump, we're feeling the Metro love from Maryland's senators even while another tunnel debate is brewing in their state. Also, Fairfax roadways are beginning to look like tallgrass prairie. Photo by tony_fiorini... more ›

No, when rising in the wee hours of the morning to we didn't suffer a sudden wave of nostalgia for bad perms, The Bangles and "Mr. Belvedere". We were confronted by all four networks confirming that temps are hitting eighty degrees today. Awesome. This mild weather was welcome news for the hundreds of Georgetown students who camped out in line to get their hands on one of the 1,000 tickets made available around 9:00... more ›

>> The video above gives a pretty great perspective of last night's bedlam in G-town. This UCLA alumna is more than a little dismayed at the bandwagon fans she's encountered all over D.C. today. At least we can all agree it's unacceptable to root for Florida or Ohio State. Go Bruins! [Deadspin] >> Don't think we're ignoring the call for a new slogan for D.C. that went out over the weekend. On the contrary,... more ›

Back in the day, people would gather to lobby, write letters and protest for a cause. These days, all it takes is access to a computer and a creative approach to using online tools. And while the fight for District voting rights has involved a good amount of old-school tactics, online activists have more resources at their disposal than ever before. Newly-elected Shadow Representative Mike Panetta has been leading this fight in recent years, employing... more ›

>> Travel + Leisure covers U Street and Logan Circle. Entire neighborhood now plans to move to Northeast. Also, we know it's technically correct, but does anyone actually call the downstairs at Saint-Ex, "Gate 54"? We've never heard anyone say that out loud. Commence bashing Travel + Leisure's coverage, a la The New York Times, in 5, 4, 3 ... >> Ward 4 Candidate Muriel Bowser kicks off her campaign by granting an interview to... more ›

The election of Democrat Jim Webb as the junior Senator from Virginia has given political spectators another chance to speculate on what particular shade of indigo the Commonwealth appears to be these days. Webb's victory was hardly a blowout, but considered alongside the last two gubernatorial campaigns and the swelling population and influence of Northern Virginia, it's not hard to imagine that Virginia's statewide tendencies are only going to get bluer. Virginia hasn't become Massachusetts... more ›

>> Newly anointed Jim Webb waited more than an hour after George Allen's concession to address supporters in Arlington. Thanking Allen, Webb said he planned to "stop the politics of divisiveness." He also asked Bush to "publicly denounce the campaign tactics that have divided us." Strong words from a man with only 8,000 people between him and the unemployment line. No matter your party loyalties, it's always a gift to know that we won't be... more ›

We've got not one, but two press conferences in the next hour and a half, signaling the end of the 2006 Senate races. At 3 p.m., Sen. George Allen will hold a press conference at the Carlyle House in Alexandria to concede the election to Jim Webb. At least, that's the speculation and expectation of Democrats everywhere who are breathing sighs of relief. Though it's likely Allen is playing nice in order to resurrect his... more ›

Though he hasn't yet officially conceded, the WaPo is reporting this morning that Sen. George Allen is "realistic" about the outcome of the Virginia election after the Associated Press called the election for his opponent, Jim Webb, last night. With nearly 100 percent of the votes counted in the state, Webb continued to lead by approximately 7,300 votes. He's even begun staffing already, and the phones at his headquarters are being answered, "Hello, Senator-elect Webb's... more ›

Jim Webb and George Allen might be stuck in a tight battle for the Virginia Senate seat, but no such contest existed for a constitutional amendment forbidding same-sex marriage or civil unions. As the Post is reporting, the amendment — one of eight across the country — was approved by an overwhelming 57 percent of Virginia voters, somewhat proving the power of the commonwealth's social conservative tendencies. And even though Northern Virginia has tended towards... more ›

Can you stand all the excitement that comes along with sifting through so many election results, race by race, this morning Washington? For political junkies like us, and we're sure, like many of you, last night was an up way past our bedtimes, whiskey-infused, edge of our seats, shouting about the relative quality of cable news commentators' hair dye jobs kind of time. And it's not totally over yet. But before we get to the... more ›

Written by DCist contributor Alex Hogan and Martin Austermuhle D.C. Mayor, City Council: Ok, so the September Democratic primary kinda took the air out of the District's official mayoral election, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go vote. Look for a crushing Democratic sweep, but give a little time and check out what the Statehood Green and Republican candidates, Chris Otten and David Kranich, respectively, have to offer. We'd like to think that someday their... more ›

Good morning, Washington. Get ready for another windy day, with some clouds and a high of 55 degrees. In news that should instill confidence in everyone planning to vote in Virginia on Nov. 7, a computer glitch has already been found in the electronic ballots that are to be used. It only affects the summary page and not the actual voting, or so election officials say. Senate candidate Jim Webb will appear in the summary... more ›

With a jam-packed weekend in the city that saw the dedication of the Air Force Memorial by the president as well as festive activities for Howard's homecoming and a crushing loss by the Skins, there doesn't seem to be too terribly much on the local news radar. But let's check it out. Gallaudet to Reopen: Despite the fact that over 100 students (133 to be exact) were arrested in continued protests on the school's campus... more ›

While everyone knows about big stock exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ, there are even smaller ones like the Boston and Philadelphia stock exchanges (if you want to buy shares in "Yankees Suck" shirts or cheesesteaks, we guess). But did you know there's a Washington Stock Exchange? The stock exchange is really a fantasy politics game, where you can use fake money to buy or sell shares in various political events, like... more ›

You know, we have a lot of fun here at DCist, but we like to think that occasionally we serve to educate as well. It's a daunting task — there's a lot of material relevant to D.C. residents that we could cover, from how to get your car inspected to who's got the best burger to which bars have the heaviest intern infestations. But of all the lessons we could impart, perhaps the most important... more ›

Fenty Plans Transition: Fresh from his trouncing of rival Linda Cropp, mayor-to-be Adrian Fenty has started planning for an ambitious transition, reports the Post. As part of his move to the Executive Office in the John Wilson Building, Fenty has announced that he will examine city agencies and start enacting programs over the next few months, working cooperatively with D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams to shape the $7 billion 2008 budget. He also reveled in... more ›

It was five years ago today that the U.S. was hit by the deadliest attack in its history, leaving almost 3,000 people dead and launching a global crusade against terrorism. In that time, much has been said about securing the homeland to avoid another attack -- and billions more have been allocated to actually doing so. District residents have observed the march towards security both as residents of the city and the nation's capital, most... more ›

And so ends the suspense -- Adrian Fenty is the Post's pick for mayor. Though Fenty has held a comfortable lead in recent weeks, the Post's endorsement was seen as Linda Cropp's final chance in what has become a hard-fought campaign. Today's endorsement is sure to give Fenty the win next Tuesday, with the Post recognizing his "can-do quality" and his "vision of the city that challenges the best in people." And maybe to add... more ›