The special election to replace a Republican state senator, who was elected in a special election, for what it is worth, back in 1998, was won by a Democrat in what Republicans regard as supposedly "safe territory", with every precinct, yes, I said,
every precinct, with majorities for the Democrat:
Voters Sweep Herring Into Senate Seat
Jan 31, 2006 -- Democrat Mark R. Herring won every Loudoun precinct in today's special election to fill the 33rd District Senate seat vacated by the resignation of Bill Mims.
This absolute victory happened, even after Mark Herring was forced out of VA-33 by some clever redistricting. He had lived in that area for years. So what does he do? Herring moves back into VA-33! That takes nads, especially in a place traditionally wigged out about the concept (and the reality) of "carpetbaggers".
Better yet is to read the comments in the Leesburg Today.com article. I also stumbled across a jewel of a Virginia Republican blog where a main contributor is making the point that the rhetoric of division, wingnuttery, and a less than energized base (outside of the firehouse primary that got the son-in-law (Mick Staton) of a wingnut (Richard "Dick" Black), who lost his own seat in the Virginia House in November 2005) elected in the primary for the vacated state senate seat and then goes on to lose...BIG!) led to another loss in a region where this sort of thing just ain't supposed to happen.
I see the mixed postings immediately after the SOTU re: Kaine's rebuttal to the Bush debacle. At least NoVA Democrats and a few independents can see the blatant wingnuttery and send a message to candidates on both sides that well-managed government is what most people are looking for in state candidates. And send people to Richmond that are going to work with Tim Kaine to keep Virginia solvent and moving forward.
To see this happen here means it can happen in other bastions of supposed Republican dominance.
Keep fighting the good fight!