So what's going to happen next week during the special session on transportation? Probably not much, but who knows? So we are not even going to try to make a prediction. We'll leave that to others. Here is a sampling of predictions -- as a well as a few partisan shots -- from current and former state legislators and lobbyists.

Del. Jeffrey M. Frederick (Prince William), the newly elected chairman of the Virginia Republican Party, continues to shake up the leadership of the state party.

Since defeating former lieutenant governor John H. Hager for the chairman's job last weekend, many of the state party's senior staffers have resigned or been dismissed.

Frederick plans to announce today that Walter M. Curt, owner of Power Motors Inc, a Harrisonburg-based technology firm, will be the party's new finance chairman. Curt replaces Fred Malek, who resigned from his finance role at the state party last week. Malek still serves as the deputy national finance chairman for Arizona Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign.

Republicans and Democrats in the House have been bickering since the legislative session started last week.

First, there was the flare up about changes to the rules, then committee assignments and yesterday, it was the question of whether raising per diems would be used later in campaign attack ads.

Today, Del. Timothy D. Hugo (R-Fairfax) brought the per diem issue back for a second day in a row by accusing Democrats of trying to smear GOP candidates in last year's legislative elections.

Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell's campaign committee, McDonnell for Virginia, raised $605,040 in the second half of last year, according to newly released financial reports. He contributed more than $123,000 to local and state Republicans in the November election.

The committee has $585,812 on hand that could be spent on candidates for office -- that includes his own possible run for governor in 2009.

After being badly outspent by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and the Democrats in last year's state legislative elections, Virginia Republicans have at least one reason to be optimistic as they gear up for this fall's elections.

According to year-end campaign finance reports released today, the Virginia Republican Party has twice as much money in the bank as the Democratic Party of Virginia.

Republicans reported $219,524, compared to the Democrats' $71,900.

Democrat Albert C. Pollard Jr. announced today that he will run in the Feb. 19 special election to fill his old House seat.

"I have always enjoyed public service and we are in a better financial position to serve than when I stepped down,'' he said in a statement. "For these reasons and because of the outpouring of encouragement to run, I am declaring my candidacy."

Pollard represented the district for three terms until he left in 2005. The recent vacancy was created when Rob Wittman left to run for Congress.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) today called for a special election Feb. 19 to fill the House of Delegates seat vacated after Robert J. Wittman, a Republican from Westmoreland County, was elected to Congress.

"Holding the special election on February 19th will provide a new delegate with the opportunity to participate meaningfully in the legislative session and to commence important constituent services promptly," Kaine said.

The election in the 99th District gives the Democratic minority in the House a chance for a pickup. The party now controls 44 of the 100 seats in the House.

Former delegate Albert C. Pollard Jr., a Democrat, has indicated he is likely to try to reclaim the seat he held from 2000 to 2005. Pollard narrowly lost a bid for state Senate this year.

The 99th includes all of King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond and Westmoreland counties and part of Caroline County, comprised of the Bowling Green and Port Royal precincts and parts of the Mattaponi and Woodford precincts.

Wittman represented the district until he was elected to succeed the late U.S. representative Jo Ann Davis, a Republican, who died in October.

Democrat Janet S. Oleszek conceded defeat today in her bid to unseat state Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II (R-Fairfax) after a recount of the Nov. 6 election found that she lost by 101 votes.

Oleszek had trailed Cuccinelli by about a quarter of a percentage point in unofficial returns after the election, allowing her to request a taxpayer-funded recount. Out of more than 37,000 ballots cast in the 37th District contest, 92 votes separated the two candidates in Virginia's closest legislative race of the year.

The tally added nine votes to Cuccinelli's winning margin. But the outcome did not decide which party controls the chamber.

After state Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis lost her election and after U.S. Rep. Tom Davis decided against running for U.S. Senate, the couple took three much-needed vacations.

The most recent one was a trip to New York City, where they visited with New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

Republican National Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan said voters "sent a strong statement to Washington" today by electing Del. Robert J. Wittman's (R-Westmoreland) over Democrat Philip Forgit in the 1st District congressional race.

Wittman got 61 percent of the vote in a Republican-leaning district that includes all or part of 18 counties, including Prince William and Fauquier. The vacancy in the 1st District occurred after U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R) died of breast cancer in October.

"Rob Wittman won because he isn't interested in playing the partisan Washington game that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have engaged in over the last year," Duncan said. "He's interested in getting things accomplished for the people of Virginia."

Though Wittman was widely expected to win, his decisive margin could temper talk among Democrats that Virginia is turning blue. Forgit, who received 37 percent of the vote, fared even worse among 1st District voters than Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass) did in the 2004 presidential race. But Forgit performed slightly better than Democrat Shawn O'Donnell did in his matchup against Davis in 2006, although just 16 percent of registered voters showed up to vote today.

Incoming Sen. Ralph Northam (D) may want to think of an extra special Father's Day gift next year.

Westcott B. Northam, a retired federal judge from Virginia's Eastern Shore, donated $243,500 to his son's campaign this year, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

Westcott Northam's is responsible for almost a fifth of the $1.1 million his son raised to defeat Sen. Nick Rerras (R-Norfolk).

Westcott Northam contributions to his son make him the third most generous individual donor during this election cycle, according to VPAP.

Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford), announced yesterday that the House will provide Republicans and Democrats proportional representation on each of the body's permanent committees for the 2008 legislative session.

He and other Republican leaders called on the new Democratic majoriy to adhere to the same principle in the Senate.

"House Republicans - both current and past - have been leaders in adhering to the key principles of representative democracy," Howell said.

The decision means that most standing committees, consisting of 22 members, will have 13 Republican delegates and 9 Democratic delegates.

"I have always felt that this is the appropriate way to carry out representative government," said H. Morgan Griffith (R-Salem), the House majority leader.

Winners

Legislative Black Caucus - Senate leaders announced this week that four out of five African-American senators will chair a committee when the General Assembly convenes in January, a stunning ascendancy in power in a state that has historically be run by white men.

Doug Denneny - A Democratic House candidate in the 11th congressional district, Denneny was endorsed this week by U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa), a rising star within the Democratic party. Denneny and Murphy are both veterans of the war an Iraq, which they oppose.

There is an interesting political story in Russell County, located in Southwest Virginia's coal country.

In the Nov. 6 election, businessman Jon I. Bowerbank VII unseated Republican incumbent D. Carter McGlothlin for an at-large seat on the Russell County Board of Supervisors. Bowerbank got 44 percent of the vote in a race that also included Democrat Clarence E. "Butch" Ball.

Bowerbank said his political advisers have told him he became the first independent in southern or southwestern Virginia since the Civil War to win a race against both a Democrat and a Republican candidate. (But he's not sure if he believes them.)

Either way, Bowerbank doesn't plan to stay an independent for long.

All Democratic members of the Virginia congressional delegation have pledged or given money to Philip Forgit, the Democratic candidate for U.S. House in Tuesday's election.

That includes:

U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher: $2,500
U.S. Rep. Jim Moran: $5,000
U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott: $2,300
 

Former Del. Albert C. Pollard Jr., who narrowly lost his Senate bid this year, said today he will likely run for his old state House seat if Del. Robert J. Wittman (R-Westmoreland) is elected to Congress next week.

Pollard said "everybody from former Republican Governor Linwood Holton to the local UPS men" have been urging him to run for the House seat he gave up in 2005.

"I enjoy the public service, I am a much better position financially then I was two years ago and if the seat opens, I will almost certainly run," Pollard said.

Here is a list of the Senate Democratic leaders, who will take outright control of the chamber in January.

Majority Leader - Richard L. Saslaw (Fairfax)
Deputy Floor Leader - William Roscoe Reynolds (Franklin)
Caucus Chairman - Mary Margaret Whipple (Arlington)
Caucus Vice- Chairman -Phillip P. Puckett (Russell)
Floor Whips - Janet D. Howell (Fairfax) & John S. Edwards (Roanoke)
Caucus Secretary- Yvonne B. Miller (Norfolk)
Caucus Treasurer- Henry L. Marsh III (Richmond)

The annual Virginia Republican Party Advance is the ultimate venue for schmoozing, jockeying for attention and laying the groundwork for future bids for office. So here's my take on the winners and losers of this weekend's event, which drew about 650 party activists and leaders to the Hyatt Regency at Crystal City.

Advance Winners -

Attorney General Bob McDonnell - The attorney general hosted a party for GOP activists on Friday and Saturday nights. Both were well attended, and there were plenty of people throughout the weekend wearing "Bob McDonnell" stickers. There also was a strong sentiment from GOP activists that McDonnell should run for governor in 2009, even if former governor and senator George Allen enters the race.

George Allen - While Allen wasn't nearly as visible as McDonnell was, the former governor and senator gave what many considered to be a strong, inspiring speech in support of Fred Thompson's presidential bid.

State Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II of Fairfax County still has to survive a recount of his 92-vote victory over Democrat Janet Oleszek, but he may already be turning his attention to his next possible campaign.

At this weekend's Virginia Republican Party Advance in Crystal City, there was plenty of talk that Cuccinelli may run for attorney general in 2009.

"People have raised it with me, but I haven't done anything about it, except telling my wife people have raised it with me," Cuccinelli said in an interview. "But there is a certain amount of logic for a conservative from Northern Virginia running."

But Cuccinelli added his first task is the recount later this month. "I got to win this race first," he said.

The state legislative elections are over, and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) is barred by law from seeking a second consecutive term in 2009, but that isn't stopping him from raising money.

Even though Kaine raised and spent millions of dollars this fall to help Democrats retake control of the state Senate, the governor's political action committee, Moving Virginia Forward, has collected $30,000 from three donors since the Nov. 6 election.

On Nov. 8, Kaine received a $10,000 donation from Fred Eychaner, a Chicago businessman and gay rights activist who has given millions to Democratic causes over the years. Last week, the Communications Workers of America also donated $10,000 to Moving Virginia Forward. And Christopher Little, a retired business executive from McDowell, Va., gave Moving Virginia Forward $10,000 Monday, according to the State Board of Elections.

The spokesman for the Virginia Republican Party will be leaving his position next week to take a job with the American Life League, according to Charles Judd, the executive director of the party.

Judd said Kenney resigned because he got "an offer he couldn't refuse" from the American Life League, an anti-abortion group based in Stafford. Judd will name a new spokesman at this weekend's Virginia Republican Party retreat in Crystal City.

"He has really helped put RPV front and center in both the traditional media and new media so we really appreciate his contribution," Judd said of Kenney

Sen. William C. Wampler Jr. (R-Bristol) was clearly disappointed when the Republicans lost the Senate to Democrats a few weeks ago. Wampler, a moderate who was part of the leadership team, was slated to chair the powerful Senate Finance Committee.

Instead, the Republicans lost control, and now Wampler, who runs an insurance agency, is angling for a seat on the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

Virginia election officials today officially certified Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II (R-Fairfax) as the winner in the race to represent the 37th District of Fairfax County.

His Democratic opponent, Janet S. Oleszek, plans to file a lawsuit in Fairfax County Circuit Court tomorrow asking for a recount of the more than 37,000 votes cast in the Nov. 6 election. She has 10 days to file the lawsuit.

Senate Republicans, still reeling from their loss earlier this month, chose new senators to lead their caucus starting
in January.

Some of the more conservative members, including Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II (R-Fairfax) and Stephen D. Newman (R-Lynchburg), wanted to replace Stosch and the other moderate Republican leaders after the loss of four seats Nov. 6.

This Week's Winners

Barack Obama - Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and his 17-year-old son, Nat, spent the weekend shuffling around Iowa, attending 10 small events for the Democratic presidential candidate. If Kaine worked that hard in Iowa for Obama, you've got to expect that the governor will pull out all the stops to help him win Virginia in the Feb. 12 Democratic primary -- assuming the nomination fight is still competitive.

Del. Christopher B. Saxman - The Republican delegate from Staunton sends out signals he may challenge former governor James S. Gilmore III for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. Saxman's potential candidacy has created a buzz among party activists and conservative bloggers who fear Gilmore is unelectable in a general election. While Saxman faces an uphill challenge, it's noteworthy that a three-term delegate is even being considered as a possible credible challenger to a former governor.

For those who can't get enough of Virginia elections, time to look ahead to the governor's race in 2009.

Yes, there is a U.S. Senate and presidential election next November. But with former governor Mark R. Warner (D) an early favorite to win the Senate race, the election for governor will be the contest that will really decide whether Virginia is turning blue or if party gains this decade were caused largely of President Bush's unpopularity.

Sen. Sen. Walter A. Stosch doesn't seem too worried about the coup being plotted against him in the Senate.

Stosch (R-Henrico) lost his title as Senate majority leader when the Democrats took control of the chamber in the Nov. 6 election. But he still wants to be Senate minority leader.

The results of today's House Republican leadership vote are in. And House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) will be keeping his job.

At a closed door meeting in Richmond, GOP delegates decided by acclamation to reelect Howell as speaker, a job he's held since 2002.

The delegation also decided to keep the rest of its current leadership team in place. Del. H. Morgan Griffith (R-Salem) will continue to serve as majority leader and Del. M. Kirkland "Kirk" Cox (R-Colonial Heights) will remain as majority whip, according to GOP officials.

Del. Terry G. Kilgore (R-Scott) also won another term as chairman of the House Republican Caucus.

In a posting earlier today, we published a letter that conservative activist Joseph Blackburn wrote to Del. John M. O'Bannon III (R-Henrico) about a potential challenge to House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford).

O'Bannon responded this afternoon. Some Republicans say this is the first skirmish of a potential GOP primary contest between O'Bannon and Blackburn in 2009. You can read O'Bannon's reponse to Blackburn's letter below.

Earlier today, I conducted a 20-minute interview with New York Public Radio about Virginia politics.

Amy Eddings, a guest host for the "The Leonard Lopate Show" on WYNC, wanted to know if Virginia really is turning blue? We discussed last week's state legislative elections and next year's presidential and U.S. Senate contests. I also took questions about the state's shifting demographics, illegal immigration and the role of military voters in state politics.

You can find an audio clip of the interview here.

An occasional list of people in the news who came out on top. Or not.
This Week's Winners
George Allen - The former governor and senator reemerged onto the political stage this week with an op-ed in the Richmond Times Dispatch and a press conference announcing his support for Fred Thompson's bid for the GOP nomination for president. In both settings, Allen began to reassert his influence into the Virginia Republican Party. At the press conference, Allen was affable, humble, folksy and talkative.

Planned Parenthood - After Democrats' success in the Nov. 6 legislative elections, the women's rights organization feels emboldened to crow about its renewed influence in state politics. The organization sent out a press release Monday noting that Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) wants to cut off state funding for abstinence-only sex education programs. Planned Parenthood says the election results proves Virginia voters back Kaine's approach because they are "tired of ideology."

Joseph Blackburn, a conservative who narrowly lost his challenge to Sen. Walter A. Stosch (R-Henrico) in this year's Republican primary, has stepped into the debate over whether House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) should replaced.

On Sunday, the House Republican caucus will meet to decide Howell's fate. Several conservative Republicans, including Del. Robert G. Marshall (R-Prince William), are trying to unseat Howell because they blame him for straying from his party's core conservative principles, which they say cost the GOP support in recent elections.

Blackburn, whose been mentioned a possible candidate for House in 2009, has sent a letter to Del. John M. O'Bannon III (R-Henrico) calling on him to join the effort to unseat Howell.

You can read Blackburn's letter below.

Del. Brian Moran, chairman of the House Democratic caucus, reports that he raised or gave a record-breaking $1million on candidates in this year's legislative elections.

Moran (D-Alexandria), donated almost every penny that he collected in the account of his political action committee, Leadership for Virginia's Future. But he has raised some eyebrows in Richmond for holding onto another $500,000 donated to a second PAC, Friends of Brian Moran.

Moran may plan to keep the money for a future campaign. He hasn't made a secret about his interest in possibly running for governor in 2009.

RICHMOND- Here are the answers to the election questions asked in the Oct. 25 Virginia Notebook after Democrats won the four seats needed to reclaim control of the state Senate and also make inroads in the House of Delegates.

Q Can a Republican still win inside the Beltway?

A Maybe. With Democrat Margaret G. Vanderhye's victory over Republican David M. Hunt for the seat of retiring Del. Vincent F. Callahan Jr. (R-Fairfax), there will be no elected Republican state official next year representing an inside-the-Beltway district. Hunt lost by just 540 votes, however. In Alexandria, Del. David L. Englin (D) beat Republican challenger Mark S. Allen by nearly 2 to 1. Even so, I wouldn't write off a Republican candidate's chance to someday prevail in Arlington, Alexandria or Fairfax.

House Republicans could be in for a contentious meeting Sunday when they decide if Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) should stay in his job.

Most observers expect Howell, who became speaker in 2002, will win reelection as speaker, even though Republicans have lost a net of 11 House seats since he took over, including four in last week's elections.

But at least one delegate, Robert G. Marshall (R-Prince William), said today he plans to force a debate Sunday on whether Howell should be replaced. Marshall blames Howell for costing the GOP House seats because House leaders pushed for last year's transportation package, which included controversial fees on bad drivers and new taxes in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia.

Former Republican governor George Allen says Virginia has been heading in the wrong direction since he left the governor's mansion in the late 1990s.
.
In an op-ed published Sunday in the Richmond Times Dispatch, Allen speaks out about how the Virginia Republican Party can reconnect with voters after Democrats' recent successes at the polls.

Allen, who was governor between 1994 and 1998, takes credit for reforming welfare, making college more affordable and bringing jobs to the commonwealth during the 1990s.

Allen, who also takes a few swipes at Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D), said he fears the state is now "coasting along."
"I am concerned that our commonwealth's progress is in danger of stalling," wrote Allen, who many GOP activists say is preparing for another run for governor in 2009.

Here are the winners in Tuesday's elections. There were so many that we decided to put the losers in a separate file.

Dick Saslaw -- The Senate minority leader from Fairfax succeeded in flipping control of the Senate for only the second time since Reconstruction. Saslaw worked hard to raise money to fund Democratic candidates. Starting in late summer, Saslaw was telling lobbyists and donors that the Democrats would retake the Senate, which convinced them they should give even more money. With his likely elevation to majority leader in January, Saslaw now becomes one of the most influential leaders in Richmond.

Joe Abbey- As campaign manager for Sen.-elect J. Chapman "Chap" Petersen (D-Fairfax), Abbey helped his candidate rack up a 10-point margin of victory over Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (R-Fairfax). Even though Petersen was running in a Democratic-leaning district, Abbey had to go up against seasoned Devolites Davis strategists who pulled out all the stops to try to re-elect her.

More below

Losers in Tuesday's elections (see the winners in a separate posting):

Michael Bloomberg- New York's mayor decides to test his appeal outside of New York by endorsing Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (R-Fairfax) because of her support for gun control. But it doesn't appear as if Bloomberg changed many minds. Even worse, Bloomberg had contemplated an independent bid for the White House next year on a platform that includes more gun control. But Devolites Davis' loss demonstrates the issue may not rank high in voters' minds, even in increasingly liberal Northern Virginia.

The Family Foundation- With the retirement of Sen. H. Russell Potts (R-Winchester) and several other moderates, the Family Foundation's leaders were hopeful that more of the agenda of social conservatives would make it out of the Senate next year. But with an incoming Democratic majority, they will likely find it's going to be just as hard as ever to get legislation out of the Education and Health Committee.

More below

Republicans and Democrats will meet tomorrow to pick nominees to replace U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-Va.) in a special election Dec. 11.

Eleven Republicans will compete at their party's convention in Caroline County. Two Democrats will vie for the nomination at their party's convention in Williamsburg.

The Fairfax County Electoral Board today finished its canvass of Tuesday's tightest legislative race in Virginia, concluding that Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II (R-Fairfax) held a 92 vote lead over Democrat Janet S. Oleszek.
The board will now certify its results in the 37th District and send them to Richmond, where the state electoral board will go through it's own certification process. That won't happen until the end of the month. A post-election canvass is the routine process of ensuring that vote totals from each precinct were counted properly and the results added accurately.
Out of 37,185 votes cast, Cuccinelli's lead stood at less than a quarter of a percentage point. That entitles Oleszek to request a state-funded recount, which she has until Dec. 6 to decide.
But Jonathan Murray, a spokesman for Oleszek, said an announcement of her decision could come as soon as Fairfax County has certified it's results. County election board officials said that they will likely certify the results on Sunday, meaning an Oleszek announcement could be made as early as Monday, Murray said.
---Chris L. Jenkins

With the 2007 election over, some Democrats are already thinking ahead to 2009. And one Republican delegate who ran unopposed this year, David B. Albo of Fairfax County, is expected to be a top Democratic target.

Democratic sources say Greg Werkheiser, who narrowly lost to Albo in 2005, is thinking about making the race. In an interview today, Werkheiser said he will be "watching to see if there is any change in the way Mr. Albo has been representing the district."

The 42nd District includes Springfield and southern Fairfax County, where Democrat George Barker did well in his victory Tuesday over Sen. James K. "Jay" O'Brien (R-Fairfax).

Former governor Mark R. Warner, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2008, has launched a new campaign blog on his website.

Warner also sent out a statement this morning soliciting campaign donations. Warner said Virginia Democrats "are on a roll" because of their success in Tuesday's state legislative elections. In the statement, Warner says he and his successor, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D), have a record that "speaks for itself."

Sen. John W. Warner (R-Va.) issued a statement tonight about the Democrats' success in retaking the state Senate and picking up four seats in the House. In the statement, Warner said Virginia Republicans paid a price for moving too far to the right in recent years. You can read the full statement below.

Below is a selection of news and links from around the web reacting to the Virginia elections:

Democrats gained control of State Senate, winning four seats in yesterday's election. Outside the Beltway reported that Republican candidates had been concerned that President Bush's "unpopularity" could put a "drag" on the party's chances.

Virginia Business Magazine reports that the Democratic takeover in the state Senate could have "long-lasting effects on state politics." Virginia party chairman Richard Cranwell told the magazine, "Voters are sick and tired of obstructionism and rigid ideology. They want leaders who will work with Governor Kaine to cut through political gridlock and deliver results."

Gov. Tim Kaine told reporters that yesterday's election was "a great night" for Democrats, according to Richmond.com. "We made history tonight by taking back the state Senate," said Kaine.

Senate Majority Leader Walter Stosch (R) told The Roanoke Times that Republicans will continue contributing to Virginia politics, saying, "Election results were clearly not what those of us on the Republican side of the aisle desired. Still, we will persevere with renewed dedication in making positive contributions to the governing of the commonwealth."

Several Republican incumbents in the House defeated Democratic challengers or third-party candidates. Del. David B. Albo (R-Fairfax) faced neither but he still only garnered almost 88 percent of the vote.

An extraordinary number - more than 12 percent - of the vote in 42nd District in Fairfax County for write-in candidates. In one precinct it was higher than 37 percent.

Albo said a handful of anti-Republican activists who run the albomustgo Web site stood outside three precincts - Lorton, Lorton Station and Laurel Hill - to convince voters to write in other candidates' names. That doesn't explain the high numbers, one more than 10 percent, in some of the other precincts.

"It's an 8th grade campaign,'' Albo said. "They hate Republicans."

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) said this afternoon he plans to consult with Democrat Janet Oleszek to discuss whether she should seek a recount in her race against Sen. Ken T. Cuccinelli II (R-Fairfax).

With all the ballots counted once, Cuccinelli holds a 94-vote lead over Oleszek. But because Cuccinelli's margin of victory is just .2 percent, Oleszek can ask for a state-funded recount.

Election Night with the GOP at the Marriott Fairfax at Fair Oaks was a bleak affair. The Post's Fredrick Kunkle describes the scene:

Around 10 p.m., well before she conceded, State Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis walked into lobby as if at bankruptcy sale, accompanied by her two daughters. A short woman approached, reached forward and took Davis' face in both hands before planting a kiss on her cheek.
"God has a plan for us all," the woman said.

Sen. Ken T. Cuccinelli II (R-Fairfax), who holds a 91-vote lead over Democrat Janet Oleszek, sent an appeal to GOP supporters at 3:30 a.m. today asking for donations to help him finance an expected recount.

Because Cuccinelli's margin is less than a half percent, Oleszek can ask for a state-funded recount. In his appeal, Cuccinelli says he is also looking for 10 volunteer lawyers who can help him oversee a district canvass of the votes cast in yesterday's election.

"The race isn't quite over yet. Janet hasn't called yet. and I haven't heard any fat ladies singing either," Cuccinelli said in his email. "As the only remaining Republican Senator from inner-Northern Virginia , I need your help today."

Tidbits from the Democrats' victory party at Tysons Corner:

"It's a huge win. ... It's an extraordinary sweep," said a jubilant Connolly in an interview, adding that Fairfax residents have endorsed his approach to government over that of his Republican rivals. "They are interested in leadership that gets results. They are not interested in ideology, and they are not interested in inexperience."

He said he and his board colleagues "delivered a government that has provided the finest quality of services in the U.S."

Connolly would not say whether his victory moved him toward seeking a seat in Congress, instead pointing to unfinished business in Fairfax.

"I am savoring a wonderful victory. I think it may very well be the largest victory of an incumbent chairman in a two-party competitive race in modern times," Connolly said. "I secretly had hoped we could win all 9 districts, but frankly the results tonight exceeded my expectations."

Below is a selection of news and links from around the web about the Virginia elections.

Albemarle County's registrar, Jake Washburn, told DailyProgress.com that he expects a higher voter turnout because of the contested races for sheriff, commonwealth's attorney, circuit court clerk and the School Board seat. "I'm thinking we'll at least get a better turnout than the last set of local elections," Washburn said.

Reporter Brigid Schulte visited precincts in Alexandria and Arlington today. Here's what she found:

Mary Sanford, of Alexandria, came out early to vote for Democratic Del. Adam Ebbin, though his re-election was assured in the heavily Democratic city. She said she was hoping to be part of a tide that swept Democrats to power in Richmond and forever change the direction of state priorities on gun laws and funding for roadway improvements and schools.

Immigration, she said, was also a key issue. But her view is vastly different from those who favor crack downs or harsh penalties for those in the country illegally. "My husband is an engineer and works on civil construction projects. Without immigrants, roads wouldn't get built, airport runways wouldn't get built, the economy would stop," she said.

"Through his experience, I became much more aware of how hard immigrants work." She said she disapproves of new laws that give local police the authority to pull people over and check their immigration status. "They're not going to be pulling whites over," she said. "It's going to be all about how you look. I completely disagree with that."

Reporter Chris L. Jenkins just returned from a precinct in the crucial 34th Senate District of Fairfax County. Here's what he filed:
In the early evening, voters began showing up in bunches at Fairfax City Hall to cast their votes for a Senate race that many political observers have said is too close to call: Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (R) is trying to withstand a well-funded attack from J. Chapman Petersen (D), a former state delegate and Fairfax City council member.
Interviews with nearly a dozen voters seemed to indicate partisan loyalty was a driving factor for some voters. The race has been unlikely in some ways, as Petersen has offered some views on issues that are considered Republican while Devolites Davis has run on some issues usually championed by Democrats.
"I kinda wish Davis had the opinions of Petersen on guns," said Ernest Frank, 52, a retired District police officer. But nonetheless party loyalty trumped small quibbles he had with the candidate. "But I don't want to see the Democrats take over. I don't want to be a tax and spend state."

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's political action committee is making a last-minute push to get people to the polls. Moving Virginia Forward sent an e-mail to supporters around 5:30 p.m. saying the races that will decide control of the General Assembly are extremely close. "Polls are open until 7 pm today, so you still have time," the mailing said.

"All of the information we're getting back from polling places tells us that these races for the General Assembly are going to be very, very close - and that your vote is really going to make a difference. So if you haven't voted, why not?" the e-mail read. "Today is a very important day for the future of Virginia. We hope to make a major change in the General Assembly - one that means that there will be less partisan bickering and more results for Virginians. You can be a part of that change, but only if you VOTE TODAY."

Spotted yesterday, a sign on the back of a tanker truck carrying septic waste in the Reston area: "Transporting Leftover Campaign Debates."

Share your favorite sign, or quote from this fall's campaign.

To get a sense of Virginia Democrats' get-out-the-vote operation during the final hours of the 2007 campaign, one should look at the hotly-contested race in Danville between Democrat Adam J. Tomer and Del. Daniel W. Marshall III (R).

While most Republican and Democratic leaders in Virginia will be sweating the results of tomorrow's crucial election, GOP state party chairman John H. Hager will be partying at the White House with President Bush.

Hager, a former Bush administration official and future father-in-law of the president's daughter, will be a guest at a dinner honoring French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The entire cast of Democratic characters could hardly fit onto the stage at George Mason University this morning, when Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, former governor Mark R. Warner and U.S. Sen. James Webb led a throng of candidates and legislative leaders at an outdoor rally before hundreds of supporters.

"So far what we've heard from the other side is, 'No,'" Warner said in the autumn sunshine. He urged the candidates behind him on the stage not to reflexively vote Democratic on issue, but, "What I desperately want them to do is not reflexively say, 'No.'"

Gerald E. Connolly, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, emceed the event. Connolly earned laughs by saying, "First of all, can I mention: I'm on the ballot." He also earned cheers by saying, "Here in Fairfax, we are on the verge of a sweep."

Other luminaries included state Del. Brian J. Moran (D-Alexandria), the House Democratic Caucus chairman; Ward L. Armstrong (D-Henry), the House minority leader; and Sen. R. Creigh Deeds (D-Bath). Deeds and Moran have both been mentioned as possible gubernatorial candidates in 2009.

When Sen. John W. Warner (R-Va) announced in September he was retiring at the end of his term, some Virginia Republicans were hoping he would send some of his campaign cash to GOP candidates for the state House and Senate.

According to the Federal Election Commission, John Warner's campaign committee reported having $724,000 in the bank as of Sept. 30. But Warner hasn't donated any of his money to Virginia Republicans this year, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, which tracks money in state politics.

David K. Rensin, a software engineer, has surpassed $1 million in total contributions to conservative causes and Virginia Republican candidates this year.

On Friday, Rensin donated $160,000 to Republican Jill Holtzman Vogel, who is locked in a tight race against Democrat Karen Schultz in a district that stretches from western Loudoun County to Winchester. Since January, Rensin has contributed $380,000 to Vogel's campaign, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, which tracks money in state politics.

The record fundraising by state legislative candidates this fall has meant big business for consultants, television stations and the U.S. Postal Service.

Now, the lawyers are sharing in the wealth.

Earlier today, the Livingston Group filed an anti-defamation lawsuit against the Virginia Democratic Party and House Democratic candidate Rex Simmons, who is challenging Del. Timothy Hugo (R-Fairfax). Hugo is a lobbyist for the Livingston Group, which Simmons attacked in a recent campaign mailer.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Virginia has filed a legal complaint with the State Board of Elections and Federal Election Commission asking for an investigation into whether campaign committees for Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (R-Fairfax) and her husband, U.S. Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Fairfax), violated state and federal campaign finance laws. The complaint alleges the husband and wife didn't properly disclose who was paying for a portion of her television advertisements.

Earlier this week, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and other prominent Virginia Democrats kicked off a week-long tour of the state to energize voters to go to the polls Tuesday. Virginia Republicans countered by saying they, too, were having their own bus tour around the state.

Each day this week, the Republican Party of Virginia has said it would send out information on the tour, scheduled to start Friday. But as of Friday morning, we have not heard a word.

An anonymous flier in the 51st House District attacks Republican candidate Faisal Gill for having "terrorist ties," but his Democratic opponent Paul Nichols denies he sent it.

Gerald E. Connolly, (D) with more than a few dollars to spare in his Fairfax Board Chairman's race against Republican Gary H. Baise, wrote a $125,000 check to the Virginia Democratic Party last week, according to new campaign finance reports.
Connolly has enjoyed an overwhelming cash advantage from the get-go, raising $1.2 million since 2004 and spending only slightly more than half of it so far against the little-known Baise. He continues to pound the Falls Church trial lawyer financially, raising $195,358 in the Oct. 1-24 period, compared to $22,745 for Baise.

Democratic Senate candidate Karen Schultz has purchased air time in the expensive Washington media market.

Schultz, who is running against Republican Jill Holtzman Vogel, started a $250,000 media buy today. In the ad, Schultz says she is a "hometown leader" who has been endorsed by former governor Mark R. Warner (D). Schultz also criticizes Vogel for being a "Washington insider" who has ties to the energy industry. Holtzman Vogel responded Friday with her own ads.

On Tuesday, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's political action committee, Moving Virginia Forward, gave Schultz's campaign $68,000. Schultz also wrote a $50,000 check to her campaign yesterday, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

You can view Schultz's ad here

There is talk that if he wins re-election as expected Tuesday, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald E. Connolly (D) may try to expand his regional influence by grabbing the Virginia seat on the Metro board of directors. The current Virginia member, Fairfax Supervisor T. Dana Kauffman (D-Lee), did not seek re-election to the Fairfax board this year and is retiring.

Transportation proffers are generally not the stuff of vivid anecdotes. But Pat S. Herrity, Republican candidate for the Springfield seat on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, has been recounting one to election-season audiences.

Herrity, who is running against Democrat P. Mike McClanahan, promises to toughen the county's approach to extracting cash from developers for road and transit improvements to accompany new construction. As an example, he describes a mid-1980s meeting between his late father, then-board chairman John F. "Jack" Herrity (R), County Executive J. Hamilton Lambert and Milton V. Peterson, co-developer with John T. "Til" Hazel, of the 620-acre Fair Lakes project near the Fair Oaks Mall.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will make a stop in Northern Virginia tomorrow to endorse state Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (R-Fairfax) in her tight race against Democrat Chapman "Chap" Petersen in the 34th District.

We're told Bloomberg, an independent who at one time was rumored to be interested in running for president in 2008, will mentioned Davis' "independence and courage" and her support of legislation to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

Democrat Janet Oleszek has gone up on network television as she seeks to unseat Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II (R-Fairfax) in Tuesday's election.

Oleszek's foray into network television in the expensive Washington media market, which also reaches viewers in Maryland and the District, signals such television buys could become the norm in future state legislative races.

Earlier this month, Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (R-Fairfax) began airing commercials on network television. Devolites Davis's Democratic opponent, J. Chapman "Chap" Petersen, responded by last week by starting his own network television blitz.

You can view Oleszek's ad here.

Virginia Democrats are hoping to pick up at least four seats in the state Senate but word is they are worried about losing one of their own: Sen. Charles J. Colgan of Prince William.

To underscore how vulnerable they think Colgan may be when voters go to the polls next Tuesday both of the state Democratic party's superstars will be appearing with him this week.

On Friday, Sen. R. Creigh Deeds (D-Bath) sent his political action committee's five staffers to volunteer for targeted Senate races as part of a get-out-the-vote effort a week before the Nov. 6 election.

Deeds, a possible candidate for governor in 2009, has contributed or raised almost $250,000 to campaigns this year.

Dentist-developer Cyrus Katzen is among the biggest donors to Fairfax County campaigns. He's got it to spare. The owner of the Culmore Shopping Center in Baileys Crossroads gave $15 million to American University for the arts center that bears his name and that of his wife, Myrtle.
Since 1996 he's given Fairfax Board Chairman Gerald E. Connolly more than $52,000, according to the non-partisan Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP). Supervisors Gerald W. Hyland (D-Mount Vernon), T. Dana Kauffman (D-Lee) and Elaine N. McConnell (R-Springfield) have also been recipients of Katzen's largesse.

With the Nov..6 election less than two weeks away, here are some questions raised by the races throughout the state. Answers will appear in the next Virginia Notebook, which will be published Nov..15.

Q. Can a Republican still win inside the Beltway? Retiring Del. Vincent F. Callahan Jr. (R-Fairfax) is the last Republican elected official representing a district that is mainly inside the Capital Beltway. Republican Dave Hunt and Democrat Margaret G. Vanderhye are vying to replace Callahan. If Vanderhye wins, it will complete the Democrats' 30-year effort to purge Alexandria, Arlington County and inner Fairfax County of Republican officeholders

Citizens for the Commonwealth, a new political action committee hoping to help Republicans keep control of the Senate, gave $60,000 to Sen. James K. "Jay" O'Brien Jr., who is in a tight race for re-election in the 39th district, which includes parts of Fairfax and Prince Williams counties.

As of Sept. 30, O'Brien, had $92,000 in the bank while Democrat George L. Barker had $173,000.

Richard Sharp, the former chairman of Circuit City and co-founder of CarMax, has created Citizens for the Commonwealth, with initial contributions of $275,000 and the expectation of raising more. Three businessmen, including Dwight C. Schar, chairman of home builder NVR in Reston, each contributed $25,000 to the organization.

Democrat J. Chapman "Chap" Petersen is going up on network television tonight in the Washington media market in response to a two-week media blitz by his opponent, Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites (R-Fairfax).

Devolites Davis has been airing commercials on network television criticizing Petersen's record on gun control and taxes. Devolites Davis is believed to be the first legislative candidate in Virginia to purchase air time in the expensive Washington media market, which also reaches the District and Maryland.

Several Democrats say Devolites Davis' strategy has caused the race to tighten. Petersen is responding with this ad.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today set a special election Dec. 11 to replace U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-Va.), who died Oct. 6 of breast cancer.

The successor will serve the remaining year of Davis' term and would have to seek re-election next fall.

At least a half-dozen Republicans, including Davis' widower, Chuck Davis, and former Loudoun County Del. Dick Black, have announced plans to run or indicated an interest in the vacancy.

Winners:
Mark Tate- All campaign finance fraud charges were dismissed against the former GOP Senate candidate from Loudoun County after the prosecutor said the case had been tainted by allegations of improprieties in the investigation.

Tim Kaine Two different polls came out during the past week showing Kaine's approval ratings remain strong, despite the summer-long controversy over abuser fees and illegal immigration. Kaine has also proved he's a prolific fundraiser. Kaine's political action committee, Moving Virginia Forward, has $1 million in the bank to spend in the campaign's final days. With three weeks to go until the election, Kaine is popular and rich. What more could a politician ask for?

Jim Gilmore: The former governor scores a big victory by convincing the Republican State Central Committee to hold a convention over a primary to select its nominee in next year's U.S. Senate race. Gilmore also appears hungry to get back into the game. He showed up at the central committee meeting and was personally lobbying members right up to the vote. His chief rival, Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.), was campaigning for his wife, Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis.

Sen. Henry L. Marsh III (D-Richmond) will be honored for his 41 years of service in public office tonight at what looks to be a very swanky reception at the Richmond Marriott.

Special guests include Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, U.S. Sen. Jim Webb, former Gov. Mark R. Warner and U.S. Rep. Robert Scott. There will be a jazz ensemble, heavy hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar.

Marsh faces an independent in next month's election and with it being just a few weeks before the big day, they have turned this event into a fundraiser. $500 to $1,000 buys you a ticket.

Jerry Parker, chairman of the Virginia Conservative Action political action committee, which has tried to rid the General Assembly of moderate Republicans in the past, has uncharacteristically donated money to two Democrats this year.

Parker gave $1,000 to J. Chapman Petersen, running against Republican Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis, and $5,000 to Albert Pollard, running against Republican Richard H. Stuart, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

Is this part of a new strategy?

Parker did give $138,000 to the PAC and a handful of Republican candidates including Bob FitzSimmonds, running against Sen. Charles J. Colgan (D-Prince William)

A new poll shows former governor Mark R. Warner (D) with a nearly 2 to 1 lead in next year's U.S. Senate race over either one of his potential GOP challengers.

The poll by Christopher Newport University shows Warner beating either former governor James P. Gilmore III or Rep. Thomas M. Davis III by a margin of 24 points. If the election were held today, 51 percent of voters would support Warner while 27 percent said they would favor either Gilmore or Davis.

The Christopher Newport University survey also found that voters have a negative view of the Republican-controlled General Assembly, but they support Democratic Gov. Timothy M. Kaine.

Democrat J. Chapman Petersen, who is seeking to unseat Fairfax state Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (R) in what is widely viewed as one of the most competitive races in Virginia this year, put the Fairfax Education Association in a tough spot at a candidates forum Sunday at which he claimed that the teacher group endorsed Davis only because she is the incumbent.

"I don't have the FEA endorsement because I'm not an incumbent," Petersen told the audience at Temple Rodef Shalom Sunday morning. "It's funny -- the president of the FEA said, 'I'll come to every single one of your fundraisers, and I'll write you a personal check, but understand that we can't go against an incumbent that meets the minimum score.' Our children deserve better than the minimum score. If I'm elected, you're going to get better than the minimum score."

Late last week, Del. Timothy D. Hugo (R-Fairfax) wrote a letter to Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) asking him to denounce a campaign mailer sent out by Hugo's Democratic opponent, Rex Simmons, and apologize for the Democratic party's involvement.

"As a good father, I ask you to consider how you would respond when a child or family member asks you why someone would falsely accuse you of complicity in human torture,'' Hugo wrote Thursday. "As a man of honor, I call on you to direct the Democratic Party of Virginia to issue a retraction and an apology to me and my family."

Three days later, Kaine's political action committee, Moving Virginia Forward, sent out an email to supporters highlighting two candidates for the General Assembly including Simmons.

"Rex Simmons believes in Virginia's future. He was an underdog. But he's fought hard and clawed his way into a race that has great potential for Virginia Democrats,'' Kaine wrote. "He's proven himself 100%, and I'm proud to support his campaign."

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) will report today his political action committee, Moving Virginia Forward, has about $1 million in the bank to help Democratic state legislative candidates running in Virginia's Nov. 6 election.

The campaign filing reports, which candidates and political action committees must file today, come as both parties are raising and spending record amounts of money. Democrats think they are well-positioned to win the four seats needed to regain control of the state Senate and some of the 11 needed to win a majority in the House of Delegates.

Kaine raised about $1 million between July 1 and Sept. 30 for his PAC. During that period, Kaine distributed more than a half-million dollars to Democratic candidates, most of it in September. In the final three weeks of the campaign, Kaine could dump tens of thousands of dollars into individual races, putting several GOP incumbents on the defensive.

A complete story candidates' finance reports will appear in tomorrow's Washington Post.

For the second week in a row, House Majority Leader H. Morgan Griffith accused the Kaine administration of trying to scare voters into believing the state's finances are worse than they are.

Griffith (R-Salem) called the administration's lack of information "inappropriate" and "improper" and said it's not the way things should be done in Virginia.

Earlier on Monday, Republican members of the House Appropriations Committee berated the state's secretary of finance and budget director for failing to provide other alternatives to the state's $640-million shortfall besides crucial cuts to services or dipping into the state's rainy day fund.

It looks like Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling is getting ready to do some serious campaigning. No, not for himself. He's hitting the road to help Republicans running for local and legislative offices in Nov. 6 election.

Just check out his schedule next week:

Yesterday, top Republican and Democratic leaders traded barbs over who is responsible for the strength of the state's economy and whether President Bush should be a factor in voters' decisions this year.

With the Nov. 6 election less than a month away, the rhetoric and campaign promises are increasing as Democrats try to retake the state Senate and make inroads in the GOP-led House of Delegates.

In recent weeks, Democrats have stepped up efforts to link GOP candidates to the policies of the Bush administration. In Fairfax County, House Democratic candidate Rex Simmons has sent out a mailer with a photo of Del. Timothy D. Hugo (R) standing with Vice President Cheney.

Read the full story here.

According to Washington Post reporter Nick Miroff, Republicans are still divided over those controversial fees on bad drivers.

Top GOP leaders, including Attorney General Robert F. McDonell (R) and Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, went on a statewide tour Monday in hopes of boosting the fortunes of Republicans running in the Nov. 6 election. At a stop at Manassas Regional Airport, House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) took credit for the fees and said they are making roads safer.

But as soon GOP leaders ended their speeches and headed back to the tarmac for their next flight, the local Republican candidates who stayed behind rushed up to reporters to distance themselves from Howell's support of the fees, which can reach $3,000.

State Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (R-Fairfax) thinks U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) is saving her reelection campaign against Democrat J. Chapman "Chap" Petersen.

Davis and Petersen are locked in one of the closest, most heated contests in the state, the outcome of which could determine whether the Democrats retake the state Senate.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Davis said her campaign is rebounding because Clinton's presidential bid is helping to energize moderate Republicans into supporting GOP candidates for the state legislature in the Nov. 6 election.

"She is a very polarizing figure and in her own way she is moving Republicans back to the Republican way of voting," Davis told the AP.

The Democratic Party of Virginia has sent letters to radio stations asking them to stop airing an ad that criticizes a Senate candidate for letting illegal immigrants get taxpayer subsidized in-state tuition rates.

The party says that's not true, and that when Democrat Albert Pollard was in the House he voted to deny in-state tuition -- not to give it -- as the ad by his opponent, Republican Richard Stuart, claims. Pollard and Stuart are running for Senate District 28 which includes the city of Frederickburg, part of Prince William County and Stafford County.

"Although a broadcast station should provide contrasting views on issues of public importance, it should not broadcast an inflammatory advertisement that contains what is nothing more than a blatant lie,'' the letter states.

At a sparsely-attended press conference in Richmond today, House Democratic leaders called on Republicans to agree to preserve money for public education.

"We have seen an erosion of support by Republican leaders for public schools,'' said Del. Brian J. Moran (D-Alexandria), who leads the Democratic caucus in the House.

Many yearn for more civility in our politics, but few walk the walk like Carey Campbell, Independent Green candidate for the Braddock District seat on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

Campbell begins every candidates' forum and debate by presenting his opponent, incumbent Sharon Bulova (D), with a bouquet of flowers. He also asks the audience to give Bulova, running for her sixth four-year term, a round of applause.

Some Fairfax County Democrats are still buzzing about Gary H. Baise's likening of illegal immigration to the heroin trade at his Sept. 18 Chamber of Commerce debate with Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald E. Connolly (D).

House Democrats unveiled a plan Friday to expand services for seniors though in-home and long-term care programs as party leaders continue their tour of the state to convince voters to elect Democrats to the General Assembly in November.

Attorneys for the Democratic Party of Virginia are asking cable stations to stop running a controversial TV campaign ad by a Republican state legislator from Fairfax County that uses unidentified, unverified quotes from a blog.

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Jill Holtzman Vogel, the Republican candidate hoping to replace retiring Virginia Sen. H. Russell Potts Jr. in the 27th District, is getting heat over her husband's lobbying activity in Washington.

According to the Northern Virginia Daily, Alex Vogel's firm has lobbied on behalf of the American Immigrant Lawyers Association, which last week announced it supports a bill that would allow provide a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants.

Today, her Democratic opponent Karen Schultz called for her husband's firm to return the $63,000 it apparently got from the group to lobby for the bill.

Some candidates for the Nov. 6 state elections are angering some voters with their over the top campaign ads.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) said today he has high hopes for Democrats this fall as they seek to regain the state Senate and make inroads in the House of Delegates.

In an interview on WTOP radio, Kaine declined to predict how many Senate and House seats he expects the Democrats to pick up in the Nov. 6 election. But Kaine said the election will prove Virginia is no longer "a super red state."

"It's a competitive state and I believe the results of this year's elections are going to be prove that," said Kaine, who is expected to raise $1 million for his political action committee at an event tonight in Pentagon City. "You don't want to live in a place where one party is given too much control."

Despite his confidence, Kaine said plans to spend the next month "fighting like an underdog" to help Democratic candidates.

A new political action committee has launched in Loudoun, and it has a familiar target.

The Loudoun Coalition, which formed in August, "stands in opposition to five incumbent supervisors who are standing for reelection," according to a Thursday press release announcing the group's formation.

If you live in Loudoun, you can probably guess which five they are talking about -- Stephen J. Snow (Dulles), Mick Staton Jr. (Sugarland Run), Jim E. Clem (Leesburg), Eugene A. Delgaudio (Sterling) and Bruce E. Tulloch (Potomac), the board's pro-growth Republicans.

"Sounds like one more guy having fun attacking the Republicans," Staton said Friday.

Today marks the start of a regular feature of the Virginia Politics blog called "Winners and Losers."

It's pretty self-explanatory. In this breezy feature you will find the week's political winners and losers, reflecting the ups and downs of the Virginia political world.

The chairman's race in Loudoun County is heating up -- but not in the way you might think.

Three-term incumbent Scott K. York (I), who has been chairman for the past two terms, started off his campaign for reelection this fall not by attacking his opponent but by going after five of his fellow supervisors, all Republicans, whom he has dubbed "the gang of five."

In the race to replace retiring Del. Vincent F. Callahan Jr. (R-Fairfax), Republican Dave Hunt is showing surprising strength in his match up against Democrat Margaret Vanderhye.

Campaign finance reports released Tuesday show Hunt raised $118,000 in July and August and has $90,000 in the bank. Vanderhye raised $104,000 during the same period and has $88,000 in the bank.

Callahan represents the McLean and Great Falls area, where many voters have sided with the Democrats in recent statewide elections. The race to succeed Callahan holds tremendous symbolism for both parties because he is the last elected Republican to represent a district that is mostly inside the Beltway.

Bruce Roemmelt, a Democratic candidate challenging Del. Robert G. Marshall (R-Prince William), says he will return a $250 donation he received from Affordable Shelter Political Action Committee because it is a front group for developers.

The PAC, affiliated with the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association, gave Roemmelt the money in July. Roemmelt, who has made curtailing sprawl and development a major theme of his campaign, said he discovered the donation as he was preparing to file the campaign finance reports due today.

Gerald E. Connolly (D), chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, on Tuesday will announce endorsements from three environmental organizations: the Sierra Club, the Clean Water Action Project, and the Fairfax chapter of the League of Conservation Voters.

The ad wars have begun in Fairfax County, where two incumbent Republican state senators -- Ken Cuccinelli and Jay O'Brien -- went up on cable TV last week. Cuccinelli's opponent, Democrat Janet Oleszek, is also running an ad on cable.

Movie director Ron Maxwell has been in Loudoun County stumping for at least two Republican candidates in this fall's elections: Greg Ahlemann, who aims to be the next sheriff of Loudoun County, and Jill Holtzman Vogel, who hopes to succeed retiring Virginia Sen. H. Russell Potts Jr. (R-Winchester).

Maxwell made the Civil War epics "Gettysburg" and "Gods and Generals," the latter of which Washington Post film critic Stephen Hunter called "something of a Confederate Honor Restoration Project."

What the two candidates have in common is a very early commitment to cracking down on illegal immigration, a position that has become all the rage since Prince William County passed its much-publicized resolution this summer.