Tim Kaine tells class he will run for U.S. Senate

Former Virginia governor and University of Richmond professor Tim Kaine told his leadership studies class Monday that he planned to run for the U.S. Senate in 2012.

Though Kaine said he would not officially announce the decision for a week or so, he said he was going to "give it a shot," after consulting with a variety of different advisers, including current and former senators, according to one of his students.

Kaine told his class that he was planning a trip to China and would discuss some of the details of his decision with his students when he returned to class in two weeks.

On Monday, University of Richmond student Gray Delany called The Schilling Show, a radio program in Charlottesville, Va., and said that two friends had told him that Kaine announced the decision during class. Multiple sources within the Democratic Party claimed that Kaine only said he was "increasingly likely" to run, but The Collegian has confirmed that he told the class that he had made his decision.

Sen. Jim Webb announced last month that he would not seek a second term. Former Sen. George Allen, whom Webb narrowly defeated, will also seek the seat.

Kaine returned to teaching at Richmond last year after completing his term as governor. He currently teaches one course in leadership studies and one course in the T.C. Williams School of Law. He has been the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee since 2009.

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