In pursuit of an early win, President Obama, Mitt Romney, and their allies have already poured more than $133 million into television advertisements in Virginia, more than in any state other than Ohio and Florida. Outside groups have spent an additional $24 million to try to influence the state’s open Senate contest, where Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican George Allen are fighting a neck-and-neck battle.

There’s good reason for all that spending: For Democrats, Virginia is a firewall, a state that can virtually guarantee Obama a second term and Democratic control of the Senate. Read More