October 16, 2011
The Virginia Senate is where the conservative legislation has gone to die over the past decade.
A net gain of at least three Senate senates by Republicans next month would likely end that, consolidating GOP conservatives' hold on Virginia government and turning state policy hard to the right.
Both parties are pouring millions of dollars into the battle for the Senate, much of it in the past two weeks.
A Senate takeover is Gov. Bob McDonnell's top driving priority because it's the key to enacting conservative goals he has set. Among them are transportation funding reform, a less generous state pension fund and private liquor stores.
A GOP Senate could green-light new laws that challenge federal authority, further restrict abortions, diminish labor unions and loosen state business regulatory authority.
