Net Results

While the networks didn't hesitate to call the Virginia Democratic contest for Barack Obama, they have held off on a Republican call - based on exit polling showing a close contest between front-runner John McCain and dogged underdog Mike Huckabee.

The two parties' contests have taken very different directions in the wake of last week's Super Tuesday voting spree.

Obama roughly broke even with rival Hillary Rodham Clinton on Super Tuesday -- which appears to have energized those inclined to support him and who now see him as having a stronger chance of overcoming Clinton's status as the early favorite for the party's nomination. Over the past week, Obama has scored dominating victories in Saturday's Louisiana primary and caucuses in Nebraska and Washington state; in the Maine caucuses Sunday; and apparently in today's Virginia primary. He is favored to win today's primaries in Maryland and the District of Columbia, with the 8 p.m, poll closing times in those places near.

The GOP, on the other hand, appears engulfed in a wave of reservations over the emergence of McCain as the big leader in delegate votes locked up. This is especially true among those conservative voters who have long held doubts about McCain because of his efforts to position himself as a "maverick" Republican. Since Super Tuesday, McCain lost Saturday's Louisiana primary and Kansas caucuses to Huckabee, and -- in a controversial early call by Republican officials -- was declared winner of the Washington state caucuses with just 25 percent of the preference vote and an edge of less than 2 percentage points over Huckabee.

A competitive performance by Huckabee in Virginia would fit his campaign profile. The former governor of Arkansas and ordained Southern Baptist preacher has run best among Southern voters in general and among religious conservatives -- a major constituency in the region -- in particular.