It is true that a lot of times, its hard to distinguish some of what Jim Webb says from some Republican politicians on issues like military, and I firmly think he's off his rocker on coal, the environment, and disagree with him on BLM. However, this isn't some guy who switched parties because his state made him, nor was he born into a 50 million dollar trust fund (yes I am talking about Linc0%n Chaffee). Hell, his pitch, "I am a military man" is a little better than "lets have rulers only in centimeters."
But that's not the point. Jim Webb did something valuable for our party nine short years ago.
Flashback, 2006:
SEN. GEORGE ALLEN: My friends, we’re going to run this campaign on positive, constructive ideas. And it’s important that we motivate and inspire people for something. This fellow here, over here, with the yellow shirt, Macaca or whatever his name is, he is with my opponent. He’s following us around everywhere. And it’s just great. We’re going to places all over Virginia. And he’s having it on film, and it’s great to have you here. And you show it to your opponent, because he’s never been there and probably will never come. So it’s good [inaudible] or his opponent actually right now is with a bunch of Hollywood movie moguls. We care about fact, not fiction. So, welcome. Let’s give a welcome to Macaca here. Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia.
George Allen was not only a favorite to win the Virginia Senate race in 2006, but also to seek the Republican nomination in 2008. Until Jim Webb did what many pundits didn't think possible: kick that racist Allen out of the Senate. And he did. We took back the Senate that
year by a one seat majority (as Bernie and Lieberman provided the Dems with enough caucus members to have 51-49. Had Allen won, we'd have had 50-50+Dick Cheney).
Virginia, prior to 2008, hadn't voted Democratic from 1968 onward. Jim Webb's victory helped pave the way for that to happen. He is and was from a rather conservative state.
I absolutely do not support him to be the nominee. I think he'd lose in the general and even if he could win, I think Hillary has the best agenda and methods/means by which to implement it. While we disagree with him on many things, he is an example of how unlike the Republican Party, we're a true "big tent." As a senator, he did side with us more often than not. He also does represent the former Republicans who were disaffected by George W. Bush, and continue to be so by virtue of staying in the Party. He could be a very effective ally and red-state ambassador for whoever our nominee winds up being.
UPDATE: translatorpro below has provided some interesting links that show how strongly Webb was supported on Dkos in 2006.