The description of NOVA as a blue enclave is dead-on. So many ppl that I went to high school with on the MD side of DC now live in NOVA to reduce commute times to their jobs. It's not as if they've changed by crossing the Potomac! Maryland Terrapin tailgate parties sport a healthy number of VA tags, and even if the game is against VT/UVa, they are there for Maryland.

Issues for the future of VA (and MD) that I find interesting are (1) the Black vote in both states (2) the 'liberal' influence in NOVA.

In the first case, these 'swing state' projections always seem to assume that the Black vote will remain static, which I believe is a mistake. I am finding that increasing numbers of young (under 30, for sake of discussion) Black voters are open to either party and are ready to shake of historical allegiances. Let's just say that they need to be convinced. This is purely anecdotal, of course, and I expect fragmentation to evolve slowly, but it's an issue with implications for both MD and presumably VA (Richmond) as well.

In the second case, I heard quite a bit of grumbling from friends in NOVA with respect to the gubenatorial campaign. Kaine was simply too conservative for their tastes. The 'faith and values' talk didn't sit well. I actually know one couple that moved from the state to a decidedly blue area because NOVA was "too Virginia" for them. Yes, I know that Kilgore was no alternative at all, but I expect NOVA to start flexing political muscle in the same manner as the MD/DC suburbs shape Annapolis.