Sen. Tim Kaine to seek re-election in 2024

Driving the news: "I’m very happy to announce that I’m going to run for a third term in the senate," Kaine said Friday at a news conference in Richmond, Va.

• Kaine said seeking a third term was an "unusual decision" that he has been working through since the midterms.
• "I'm a servant. I love Virginia," he said. "I'm proud of what I've done. I got a whole lot more I want to do."

The big picture: Kaine, a longtime fixture in Virginia politics, has been senator since 2013. In 2016, he served as Hillary Clinton's vice presidential running mate.

• Kaine also served as lieutenant governor and governor of Virginia.

Zoom out: Democrats will look to defend nearly two dozen Senate seats in 2024, per the Washington Post.

• Three of those states — Montana, Ohio and West Virginia — favored former President Trump in 2020 by at least eight points, the Post notes.

Editor's note: The photo caption was corrected to reflect the event took place in 2023.