The American Spectator

“I was personally thrilled when Webb decided to run for the Senate,” he said. “After 9/11, we all had to let our personal divisions go.”

The question on your humble correspondent’s mind was why they were rallying in northern Virginia in the first place. One of the initial rationales for Webb’s campaign was that with his background he could strike deep into the state’s reddest areas and poach Allen’s votes. Instead they were closing out the race the way every major statewide Democrat candidate does, trying to boost turnout in the state’s northern — and most liberal — regions.

Indeed, throughout the race Webb has mostly stuck to the Democratic Party’s standard script. It might still work, especially this year. Polls show the race neck-and-neck and Allen ran a campaign so cloddishly incompetent that even if he does survive his presidential hopes are over.

If he does win, what type of senator might Webb turn out to be? If the Republicans are lucky once Iraq is resolved he’ll return to his right-wing roots and become the next Zell Miller. If the Democrats are lucky he’ll become John Kerry 2.0: A liberal Democrat who truly is immune to being called a wimp. Based on the campaign he’s run, option #2 seems more likely.