The rural-urban axis in the race to be U.S. Senator from Virginia

The New York Times feature story on this close Virginia race  in today's paper explains that the contest between George Allen and Tim Kaine "will play out in a state as purple as any in the nation, divided by race and geography, property and power."  Journalist Jonathan Weisman revisits the "geography" part later in the story with this:

In past Virginia elections, Republicans have been able to marshal their strengths in conservative rural areas of south and central Virginia, disaffected Appalachia and military-dominated Norfolk to overwhelm urban Democratic pockets.  But the growth of Washington's Northern Virginia suburbs--with their affluent, educated core and ethnic polyglot--has changed the political equation.