Together, Virginia's Elite Democrats Target GOP

From The Washington Post:

It was Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's party, but two other Democratic stars seemed to dominate a reception in Tysons Corner last week to raise money to help unseat Republicans in the General Assembly.

Former governor Mark R. Warner and Sen.-elect James Webb arrived early and stayed late as they greeted contributors to Kaine's political action committee, which plans to help finance Democratic candidates next year.

What was unthinkable in Virginia six months ago is now the political reality: With Webb's election last month, the state has three prominent Democrats who say they are working as a team to build the party in a historically Republican state. Their first mission is trying to defeat Republicans in next year's legislative races.

Six years ago, it appeared as if the state's Democratic Party was on the verge of irrelevancy, with Republicans having won two successive governor's races and holding both U.S. Senate seats and majorities in the Virginia House and Senate.

But today, Democrats are the ones who can point to two straight victories for governor -- Warner in 2001 and Kaine last year -- as well as Webb's narrow win over Sen. George Allen (R).