Despite what Mike Madden wrote on big Salon today (and yesterday), Terry McAuliffe and Brian Moran are not "from" Northern Virginia. Mr. McAuliffe is from New York, and Mr. Moran is from Massachusetts. Creigh Deeds is from Southwest Virginia.

Virginia voters do not register by party. When primaries are held, however, voters approach the polls and have to identify which party they wish to vote for.

Yesterday, in Central Virginia, voters had a choice to cast their ballots as Republicans or Democrats. If the voter gave the poll worker a Democrat response, then she was given a ballot with the primary contestants, the winner to meet Bob McDonnel in the governor's race held in November. If the voter gave a Republican response, then he was given a ballot with Republican primary contestants, the winner to meet Shannon Valentine in the race for her state House of Delegates seat in in November.

Mr. McAuliffe is disliked by many in the GOP, and not just in Virginia, primarily because of his support for the Clintons.

Yesterday,Virginians who typically vote for GOP candidates but had no stake in the House of Delegates GOP primary race, presented themselves as Democrats at the polls and were given Democrat ballots which they cast for Creigh Deeds. Their thinking  was that even if Mr. Deeds offers a tough battle for GOP candidate Bob McDonnel, at least McAuliffe wouldn't be in the picture when November rolls around.

The ploy succeeded, and Mr. McAuliffe was blown away by Mr Deeds.  Virginia GOP voters can be a fiesty lot, especially when a Clinton supporter is involved.