Sen. Warner Makes It Official: He's Retiring in '09

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AFTER MONTHS of speculation, Virginia's senior senator, John Warner, announced today at the University of Virginia that he does not plan to seek re-election.

The move was not unexpected by political observers on Capitol Hill and in the commonwealth, and the announcement by the five-term Republican is expected to trigger a cascade of political moves as various potential replacements position themselves for what will likely be a competitive race.

On the Republican side, Fairfax County's Tom Davis, a five-term congressman and ranking member on the powerful Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has been assembling a Senate campaign team.

But Davis, who is a moderate, could face a challenge from his right. The commonwealth's conservative former governor, Jim Gilmore, has been mentioned as a potential candidate.

On the Democratic side, popular former Gov. Mark Warner, no relation to the senator, appears to be the party's best bet to capture the seat.

File photo of Sen. John Warner by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images