Senate Seat Showdowns

Virginia CBS NEWS PROJECTS JAMES WEBB WINNER Democrat James Webb vs. Republican George Allen (Incumbent) CBS News Race Outlook: In 2000, Allen narrowly defeated Chuck Robb who was caught up in a political scandal. Allen calls himself a "common sense Jeffersonian Conservative." The impetus for Webb’s candidacy was his opposition to the war in Iraq. He is an appealing Democratic candidate -- war hero, disillusioned Republican (was Navy Secretary under Reagan), prolific author, and has no voting record. According to The Washington Post, "He [Webb] calls Allen a rubber stamp for President Bush on Iraq, a crushing federal debt and economic policies that Webb says punish the middle class."Allen is a good fundraiser and Webb had to raise significant funds to make this race competitive.