Local Virginia politicians are poised to run for state Sen. Patsy Ticer's seat, should she retire.

City of Alexandria Councilman Rob Krupicka officially announced on his blog Monday afternoon that he will run for Ticer's seat if she steps down. Shortly after Krupicka made his announcement, Virginia Del. Adam Ebbin (D-49) told Patch "I'm committed to run" if Ticer retires.

Ticer is widely expected to make an announcement of her intentions soon.

"I have always been, and remain, a strong supporter of Senator Patsy Ticer, and if she runs for another term, I look forward to working for her," Krupicka wrote. "It was an honor to serve as the deputy campaign manager on her first race and host the senator’s most recent campaign kickoff. However, as has been reported in the press, she may choose to retire this year. "

He remarked her retirement would be a "huge loss" in her role as an "excellent advocate and leader" as chair of The Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee.

Ebbin called Krupicka a "worthy competitor" and hoped for a "spirited, positive race." He also touted his own experience in Richmond, saying his seven years of experience there is very beneficial. He has crafted an anti-bullying bill this session  and plans to reintroduce a bill imposing a 5-cent tax on plastic or paper bags. Ebbin currently serves on the Education; Transportation; and Health, Welfare and Institutions committees.

Team Krupicka, also known as Team Orange, will hold its first organizational meeting Saturday, Jan. 29, 2 p.m. ET at his home, 409 E. Alexandria Ave.

At the meeting, Krupicka plans to discuss strong schools, a healthy environment, a strong economy "that works for everyone" and "ensuring that everybody has a seat at the table."

Krupicka, who is also a member of the Virginia Board of Education, recently crafted a bill with Virginia State Del. David Englin (D-45) to make textbook publishers more accountable for their products' content after the uncovering of a startling amount of inaccuracies in classroom texts.

Krupicka spearheaded much of the environmental work in Alexandria since being elected to City Council in May 2003. When the city recently released its list of the top 10 environmental accomplishments in 2010, Krupicka told Patch: "We have come a long way since I was first elected and had to explain to city staff what a green building was. [The Eco-City] project has been a constant focus of mine for the last eight years. And my vision from the start has been to make sure we make environmental sustainability part of every area of city government, not just one department."

Sen. Ticer's office did not return calls for comment.