Deeds has staked his whole campaign on running ads against a thesis McDonnell wrote 20 or so years ago. But since McDonnell has actually been in office and people know him, that's a pretty thin reed to base your whole campaign on. Deeds hasn't really said anything positive. I live in VA, but I haven't seen any ads saying, "I'm Creigh Deeds, and here's what I want to do." McDonnell on the other hand has run a pretty effective "low tax, create jobs" campaign.

Bringing in McAuliffe is a big mistake. McAuliffe only got about 25% in the primary vote. The Washington Post really slammed him early in the campaign with stories about how he made his millions in ways that most Virginians clearly did not like.

Considering the crappy campaign, I'm not sure you can take much from this is Deeds loses. Of course, if Deeds wins, it will be a huge victory for Obama.

I agree.

I saw Deeds speak last spring, when he was still running third in the primary polls.

He seemed OK, if indistinguished.

McDonnell scares me simply because of his Pat Roberston connection.

McDonnell has plans for low taxes by selling our highways to private groups and letting them charge us Virginians for every mile we drive on them! His plans for creating jobs involves drilling off the coast of Virginia Beach and killing the tourist trade, costing jobs. I live in Virginia too and don't plan to go back to the "borrow and spend" tactics of the last two republicons who held the governor's office.