A Star of Red-State Virginia Has a Fight on His Hands

Could George Allen, once a slam-dunk Senate pick, drop the ball next week?

A few months ago, when the warm breezes of summer were wafting across Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, George Allen could justly expect only one result from Election 2006 - he would be reelected easily to the US Senate.

Senator Allen's supporters were already quietly looking beyond November. There were whispers in Republican circles about Allen running for the White House in 2008.

Yet as autumn drew near, there was an abrupt change in the political climate. The winds from the Blue Ridge grew cold. Very cold.