The Candidates' Final Spin

Cross-posted from Chris Cillizza's The Fix:

All three of the Democrats -- former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe, former state Del. Brian Moran and state Sen. Creigh Deeds -- running for governor of Virginia held conference calls with reporters this afternoon to provide a final spin before polls close tonight at 7 p.m..

These calls -- as they are apt to be -- were largely newsless rehashes of the three campaigns basic arguments. (The Fix had a brief flashback to the 2008 presidential primary between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in which both sides held a conference call every single day of that race. Shudder.)

The Fix listened to these calls so Fixistas didn't have to. The spin coming out of each camp is below. Don't forget, you still have an hour (or so) to make your prediction on who wins tonight, by what percentage and what the storyline will dominate. At stake? An official Fix t-shirt.

Terry McAuliffe: "In the last 48 hours, the lead that Senator Deeds had taken in the last week started to collapse," according to Mo Elleithee, a senior adviser to the Macker. Other notes: this is a two-person race between McAuliffe and Deeds, the money spent by McAuliffe on field will pay dividends, turnout will be between 200,000 and 250,000.

Creigh Deeds: "We are riding this momentum wave we have been on for the last few weeks now," said campaign manager Joe Abbey. Other notes: McAulliffe's team is showing "desperation", there is no movement away from Deeds in the last two days, surge in NOVA continues thanks to WaPo endorsement, turnout will be between five and six percent of registered voters.

Brian Moran: "It's a low turnout but we are hoping Brian is the only candidate who had a geographic base," said Moran consultant Steve Jarding. Other notes: Never believed the public polling, Moran performing well in Arlington, Alexandria and eastern part of Fairfax County, turnout pattern will replicate 2006 Senate race between Jim Webb and Harris Miller (45 percent of the vote came from NOVA in that race).