There will be a lot going on in Virginia under the administration of the next Governor. An increasing flow of federal money from the stimulus package to be put to use. Transportation, education, environment, healthcare, public safety, all will get a lot of attention and will see the directed expenditure of state funds. A lot of political maneuvering will attend the direction of those expenditures.

But the primary focus of political maneuvering a year and a half from now will be mandated redistricting. Congressional districts, state senate and house districts, all will be redrawn in 2011 to accord with the results of the decennial census to be conducted next spring and summer.

Creigh Deeds has been a leading voice for reform of the redistricting process, arguing for the creation of a nonpartisan mechanism. Bob McDonnell as recently as early this year poo-poohed the notion of a nonpartisan process, but has changed his mind. Cynics say it is a part of his repositioning in the center, adherents point to a reasonable change of position based on a reevaluation of the facts.

The Senate of Virginia has a (slim) Democratic majority. If Democrats can take six additional seats in the House, they will have a one-seat majority there as well. Who might those six be? Over the next few days we'll post profiles of the races that are widely seen as the likeliest pickups, and we'll show the finance picture for each candidate.

These are the races to follow:

John Bell (13th)
Seward Anderson (14th)
Gwen Mason (17th)
Greg Werkheiser (42nd)
Tom Shields (73rd)
Robin Abbott (93rd)

And we'll follow the local Delegate races of Cynthia Neff, David Toscano and Greg Marrow.

The candidates--particularly relative unknowns like some of those we're following--need Creigh to wage a kickass campaign if they are to have a chance. And Creigh needs Democratic candidates doing well to improve his chances.

(Dave Sagarin, September 16, 2009)