ALLEN FALLING. I think Matt is onto something with his observation that Virginia may be evolving into a non-Southern state. In addition to the election of two successive moderate Democrats as governors (the first, Mark Warner, being a non-native to Virginia or the South), the latest Wall Street Journal/Zogby poll in the '06 Senate race gives Democrats some reason for hope. It shows challenger Jim Webb dead even with incumbent George Allen. This is a dramatic shift from a few weeks ago when Allen led by double digits. Observers who thought that Virginia had conquered its Confederate demons were disappointed that Ryan Lizza's expos� on Allen seemed to matter not a whit to the average Virgninian. But apparently Macacagate has taken its toll on Allen. Whether it's Allen's xenophobia per se or his crass bullying that is turn-off to Virginia voters remains unclear.
--Ben Adler
