Cuccinelli
RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) - Sources say Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli next week will unveil his plans to run for governor in 2013.
GOP sources told The Washington Post on Wednesday that the conservative attorney general would make an official announcement following the legislative session in the spring.
Most notably as attorney general, Cuccinelli filed his own lawsuit against President Barack Obama's federal health care law -- just months after taking office in January 2010.
The law's mandate requires individuals who do not purchase health insurance to pay a yearly $695 penalty. Cuccinelli argued that the mandate clashed with the Virginia Health Care Freedom Act, which says Virginians are not required to purchase health insurance.
The Fourth Circuit ruled in Cuccinelli's case that he did not have standing to challenge the law on behalf of the state of Virginia because the State wouldn't be affected by the mandate. Only individual Virginians would be, the court said in overturning a district judge's ruling.
Meanwhile, an appeal by 26 other states -- also challenging the law's individual mandate -- will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.
According to the Post, Cuccinelli previously said he was considering a run for re-election or against U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, a Democrat, in 2014.
Instead, he could end up running against Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling in a gubernatorial primary, the newspaper reported.
Prior to serving as attorney general, Cuccinelli was a state senator, representing the 37th District in Fairfax County from 2002 until 2010.
Bob McDonnell is currently Virginia's governor. He was Cuccinelli's predecessor as attorney general.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at jessica@legalnewsline.com.