VA has not been drifting left. President Bush increased his margin here from 2000 to 2004.
Uh, can you say Democratic Gov. Mark Warner and Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine?
Bush increased his nationwide margin from 2000 to 2004 by 3.9 percent (from -0.5 percent to +2.4 percent). Here in Virginia, he increased his margin be less, 0.9 percent (from 7.2 percent to 8.1 percent). Thus, relative to the nation as a whole, Virginia is less conservative than it used to be.
However, to substantiate your point, it could equally be said that the country has been becoming more conservative relative to Virginia since 1992. I have to admit that there is some flux to words like "right" and "left," "liberal" and "conservative."