Virginia: Webb has a real legitimate shot and I mean legit (rasmussen)

[okstate]

I think people are turned off by the attack on Webb's writing. Quite frankly that was a boneheaded move by George Allen, one worthy of the mind of Marilyn Musgrave, Jean Schmidt, or Barbara Cubin, not Senator Allen.

I'm quite disappointed in him and in these poll results.

[Gabu]

I remember the days when Allen was going to win this one in a walk and then use his inevitable victory to prep a 2008 run.

[okstate]

Can you imagine what would have happened had Mark Warner run? Besides the fun name confusion between him and John Warner... if this campaign had played out at all similarly Warner would have won in a walk I think. No one really realized how vulnerable Allen was. I had him pretty much Safe back in June/July.

[Deano963]

This is excellent news, though I take it with a grain of salt - the Republican GOTV machine is in high gear.

Their GOTV can make up 1-2%, or a 3% gap at the very most. Don't be so pessimistic.

[Smash255]

Can you imagine what would have happened had Mark Warner run? Besides the fun name confusion between him and John Warner... if this campaign had played out at all similarly Warner would have won in a walk I think. No one really realized how vulnerable Allen was. I had him pretty much Safe back in June/July.

Warner would have won without the gaffes by 4-7%, with the same way this race played out Warner would have won by AT LEASt 15% and perhaps 20

[opebo]

Anyone willing to say Webb is more likely to win than Ford now?

I think the order of vulnerability of party switching is now...

PA
OH
RI
MT
MO
VA
TN
NJ
AZ
MD

That's very fair, Okstate!  I agree with every one, though AZ and MD could just as easily be switched.

[Tender Branson]

Keep on rolling Webb !

[Adlai Stevenson]

Amazing.  I can see Democrats retaking the Senate now.  The loss of Virginia to the Republicans might be one of their biggest blows of the night and a sign that the former Confederate heartland is changing.

[Eraserhead]

Wow. What an intense battle for the Senate. Ford drops the ball and Webb picks it right back up! I would rather have him in the Senate anyway.

"The night they drove old Dixie down..."

[Downwinder]

Ummmmm, I'm trying not to get TOO optimistic about this race--I thought Webb was pretty much done--I think I'll change VA back to a toss-up now, at the very least!

[Gustaf]

Well, well, well. I'd prefer Ford to win over Webb, but ideally we could have both. Another Republican loss in Virginia would definitely spell trouble for them. The New South is one of the main reasons for the Republican dominance in the last decade, if they begin to slip there it will be very hard for them to win nationally.