A few weeks ago in this space I commented on the unlikelihood of Virginia turning into a “swing state” in the 2004 election. Back in August, as the Democrats dreamed of a landslide, they even went so far as to send vice presidential candidate John Edwards to Roanoke. Even persistent polling data showing President George W. Bush with a comfortable lead in the state failed to kill the dream of a “blue” Virginia.In the end, of course, Virginia stayed in the “red” Republican column. Although the election was closer here than anywhere else in the South except Florida, Bush did...