By Bonnie V. Winston

U.S. Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott may be gearing up for a statewide race.

At his 40th Annual Labor Day Cookout hosted Monday in Newport News, Rep. Scott told the Free Press he would accept the U.S. Senate seat should its current occupant, Sen. Tim Kaine, be elected vice president in November and should Gov. Terry McAuliffe appoint him as Sen. Kaine’s replacement.

Rep. Scott, Sen. Kaine and Gov. McAuliffe all are Democrats. The governor is empowered by state law to appoint a temporary replacement to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate.

The new senator would fill Sen. Kaine’s seat until the next general election in November 2017, when he or she would have to run statewide for the right to complete Sen. Kaine’s current term. The winner would have to run again in November 2018 to win a new six-year term.

Rep. Scott acknowledged that fundraising would be vital to Democrats continuing to hold the U.S. Senate seat.

At the Labor Day Cookout, an annual kickoff to the election season, Rep. Scott’s niece, Newport News Delegate Marcia Price, asked attendees to support Rep. Scott with their time and money.

Rep. Scott, who has represented Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District since 1993, is facing a challenge in November from Republican M.L. “Marty” Williams of Chesapeake.

Delegate Price added that donations to Rep. Scott’s campaign fund also would help him “as a potential statewide candidate.”

“He’s the hardest working politician I know,” she said. “When we call, he shows up for us. Now it’s important that we show up for him.

“The nation is watching Virginia,” she continued. “The nation is watching this campaign. We have to show we have his back.”