Kaine to Face Primary Challenge from Fairfax

It looks like the U.S. Senate race for Jim Webb's seat just got a little more crowded.

Democrat Courtney Lynch of Fairfax City announced Wednesday that she plans to run for the seat, which means she'll face former Governor Tim Kaine and one other Democrat. Lynch has a Web site up and running:http://lynchforva.com. Her slogan: "It's Time, Virginia."

On her Twitter feed, LynchforVA: "Today’s the day. I am officially a candidate for U.S. Senate in Virginia. Let’s make history happen."

In addition to being a mother of three, Lynch, 36, is also a Marine Corps veteran and founding partner of Lead Star, a leadership consulting firm. She has said she plans to take a leave of absence to concentrate on her Senate run.

The fact that she is new to politics and has never run for office is a plus, she said in a statement. "Being a political insider is not high on the list of requirements to serve this nation. In fact, fresh faces with valuable ideas are in demand."

Lynch is the third Democrat to throw a hat in the ring. In addition to Kaine, the other Democratic candidate is Julien Modica of Reston.

Lynch, who served as served as an officer for seven years in the Marine Corps, holds a law degree from William & Mary and a bachelor's in political science from North Carolina State University.

Former Senator and Governor George Allen faces opposition from five other GOP candidates.