The fortunes of two presidential prospects also are affected by the result: Departing Democratic Gov. Mark R. Warner's are up; Republican U.S. Sen. George Allen's are down.[snip]
Allen, Kilgore's mentor, may be forced to reappraise his philosophical bearings and campaign tactics as he, too, shifts to the national stage, perhaps tacking from the right to the middle and toning down his hit-'em-hard, hit-'em-low, hit-'em-again style.
The wild card in the Virginia race proved he wasn't, but he did provide evidence that divisions within the Republican Party are enduring.
In other words, rather than show strength and star power, Sen. Allen helped expose the fault lines in his party and a need to be more moderate. That's a show of weakness, if you ask me.