GOP prepares to celebrate, Dems to commiserate

This is a big weekend in Virginia politics. Republican activists and elected leaders will gather in Williamsburg for their annual retreat, known as the Advance. They'll be setting out their their party's agenda now that they've returned to the governor's mansion. And they're likely to party pretty hard in celebration of their huge November electoral wins. Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell will be on hand to be feted by his supporters, as will Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and Attorney Gen.-elect Ken Cuccinelli.

The mood's likely to be fair more somber--possibly downright depressing--over at the other end of the state, where Virginia's Democratic Central Committee will gather for its first quarterly meeting since the election in Staunton. Democratic office-holders Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, Sen. Jim Webb and Sen. Mark Warner are all scheduled to address the committee, presumably to discuss the way forward and to buck up the troops.

Check back this weekend for live reports from both events.