Praising Kaine

Calling it at 3 AM Rome time, I am willing to guess that the Democratic candidate
T. Kaine will be elected governor of Virginia. Here are the official results (it is occassionally possible to fight through the cyber crowds and get to the data).

Virginia is a conservative state. The striking thing is that Kaine is personally opposed to the death penalty (although he promises not to automatically commute all death sentences). Virginia is, IIRC second after Texas in executions of death sentences. This makes the result remarkable, although not at the hell freazes over level of the election of Dough Wilder (now mayor of Richmond) who was (and remains) African American.

Crossing the Potomac, I sometimes feel that I am entering enemy territory -- the old confederacy. When Virginians elect a Democrat, I am more comfortable there. Now they have elected a Democrat whose name doesn't begin with a W for the first time in a while.

Hope I didn't just jinx things.