Allen Backers Teem Southside

The planking has evolved in other ways as well; what was once an exclusive domain of rural, white men is now well-attended by women and African Americans and people from as far away as Staunton and Alexandria. Ruritan leaders said about 3,000 attended Wednesday.

Predictions emanating from the planking have not always been right. At last year's event, much of the crowd saw Republican Jerry W. Kilgore, the former attorney general, as a shoo-in for governor against then-Lt. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D). At the time, Kilgore was well ahead of Kaine in the polls.

Whether Wednesday's show of support for Allen could turn out to be similarly misleading is unknown. Allen was clearly sensitive to the charge of association with Bush, noting to a reporter as he pushed through the crowd that he differs starkly with the president on immigration policy.

But Allen had far more going for him with this group than Kilgore did. Wearing a blue shirt unbuttoned at the top and a big, brass "Virginia" belt buckle, Allen shook hands, slapped backs and signed hats like a rock star.

"I like your bolo!" Allen exclaimed to a man sporting the Western-style tie. "If you're going to wear a tie, that's the one to wear."

One supporter and old friend, Anne Petera, 56, of James City County, approached the senator and simply gushed. "I've been watching you on the talk shows," she said. "You know everything about everything. You make me so proud."

"Oh, thank you," Allen replied. "I just stick to my principles."

It was like that for at least an hour. As William C. Mims, a former Republican state senator and now chief deputy to Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell, noted, "This is Allen country."

Is the rest of Virginia? Probably so, Mims said.

"George Allen is so well-known and liked and respected, particularly in Southside," Mims said. "Once a voter feels they know an officeholder, and they like him, it's very hard to make a dent."