Some Thoughts From Quentin Kidd

Quentin Kidd, a political science professor at Christopher Newport University, drove around to predominantly African-American precincts in Hampton and Newport News today and was surprised at just how low turnout was.

He was also surprised to see not a single campaign worker for Terry McAuliffe, the former Democratic National Committee chairman with the most formidable organization and war chest -- who declared his support among black leaders of Virginia virtually absolute.

Like most of us, Quidd had no clue at 6 p.m. who will actually win. But he had some other thoughts on the race today. He believes the race will turn on the size of the African-American vote, turnout in general, and what happens in Northern Virginia.

"Was the McAuliffe campaign a house of cards?" Quidd mused. "Was it a media creation, or was it real? You've got to win trust and build relationships in a campaign, and I'm not sure you can do that from the air, which is what McAuliffe has tried to do."