Ron Saxton's never won a political race. The only government experience he has was as the chairman of the Portland School Board.

Saxton figures he finished third in the 2002 race because he wasn't conservative enough. He's bringing this up because he thinks it appeals to the ultraconservatives.

Having that type of experience at my nightclub empowers them to go to the table and gamble a little bit more. They are made to feel like a star. They go back to where they came from and feel that they had a terrific experience. For a brief moment, you can shop at Gucci and Tiffany.

This was a very difficult determination in an extremely close race. Both men will make far better Virginia chief executives than their critics would lead you to believe.

It's not only to do with gambling. It's the experience with other things as well.

We know from the 2002 election experience that a lot can happen in the final metres of the race. That's why we're now sticking so close together as a party.