As early as May 2012, there was speculation that McAuliffe was going to run for governor in 2013. He announced in an interview that he would run as long as Senator Mark Warner did not. McAuliffe said that he would be the first person to endorse Warner, and that he "left the door open a little bit" and would wait "for it to be closed before jumping in." On November 8, 2012, McAuliffe sent an email to his supporters announcing his official candidacy for the Democratic Party's nominee. He stated that he had been to every corner of Virginia during the previous four years for over 2,400 meetings and events and that it was clear to him that Virginians wanted their next governor to focus on job creation and common sense fiscal responsibility instead of divisive partisan issues. McAuliffe also expressed his approval for leaders who prioritize economic growth in order to make Virginia the best place for business.
