Thunderstorms in McAuliffe and Moran territory give Deeds supporters more reason to feel close to an official victory. Here in Blacksburg, a thunderstorm just recently grumbled by, drizzling lightly as the sun kept shining. The weather has led Salon.com columnist Alex Koppelman to ask if Creigh Deeds was scarificing goats — “or maybe hokies” to use “a more state-appropriate critter.”

No word yet if Koppelman knows that Hokies are people, not animals, thus explaining why the mascot is called the Hokie Bird.

- Phillip Murillas