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I think we all know how this is going to go tonight. Journalists around the state have words like “rout” and “landslide” already queued up, ready to go. ““Democratic debacle,” “Democratic disaster” have a nice alliterative tone to them. So do “Republican rout” and “Republican runaway.”
But before we get to any of those, allow me to share a story that I suspect will perfectly sum things up tonight.
Last Thursday, Creigh Deeds was in downtown Roanoke for a rally. I was in the office doing whatever it is we editors do when reporter Mason Adams returned from the event. Frankly, I’d been so absorbed in what I was doing I was unaware Deeds had been in town -- but when Mason mentioned he was only three blocks away, I thought I’d go see him. I covered his first campaign for the House of Delegates back in 1991 and -- full disclosure here -- we share a childhood friend in common. Deeds had been buddies in first grade with a guy who later moved and became one of my best friends in high school.
By the time I got to Deeds’ Roanoke headquarters, the crowd (which had been small to begin with) was nearly gone. I walked in, and my eyes scanned the room looking for the biggest knot of people, figuring that’s where the candidate would be.
Wrong.
There was a small clump of people in the back, but that’s not where Deeds was. Instead, at a table off the side, there was a lone man, his reading glasses perched on his nose, studying some piece of paper. He was completely alone.
That was the Democratic candidate for governor.
I’ve covered lots of campaigns -- including lots of losing ones -- but even at the end, I’ve never seen a candidate for governor so alone.
It was one of the saddest sights I’ve ever seen.

Interesting side note: Deeds said that the week before he had been using a bus that once had been the tour bus for country star Toby Keith.

Coming next: We'll have some numbers soon.

-- Dwayne Yancey, senior editor

OTHER ELECTION ANALYSIS:
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* Analysis: Where we'll be looking tonight
* Analysis: How many House seats will change hands tonight?
* Analysis: The biggest winning margin since . . .
* Analysis: The polls close; here's what's coming . . .

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