As I wrote earlier this month, the Virginia Senate race will be one of the most important races in the nation with regard to aggressive and innovative Internet strategies. CNN.com's Peter Hamby reports on the role the web operation is already having on the campaign trail in a piece titled, "Virginia Senate race will be Web battleground."

I'm quoted in the piece alongside Democratic Web strategist and MyDD founder, Jerome Armstrong, who is Warner's online consultant. (Jerome and I co-host DomeNation - a show focusing on the intersection of tech + politics that will return this Fall.)

Here's an excerpt from the story:

"This Senate race will be the premiere battleground in the modern world," Republican Internet strategist David All said. "The good news is that George Allen's loss was a wake-up call for not only the state party and the National Republican Senatorial Committee but also the rightosphere of conservative activists who are hungry for a rematch."

Given Warner's popularity, a rematch in this purple-trending state will be difficult for Republicans, following Webb's narrow victory last year and Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine's win in 2005. Political observers and consultants in Virginia say the 2008 Senate race could get nasty quick, as Democratic bloggers try to maintain their winning streak and Warner's opponents look for ways to paint the presumptive front-runner as tax-hiking liberal.

The same day Warner announced his intention to run for Senate on YouTube, the NRSC launched a sleek new Web site called "Don'tMarkWarner," attacking Warner's signature moment as governor: his $1.4 billion tax increase, passed in 2004 with the help of the Republican-dominated Legislature to shore up a budget shortfall.

"There's going to be all kinds of stuff said out there to see what sticks," said Jerome Armstrong, Warner's top Web consultant. "The Internet takes the shape of the campaign at a much earlier stage than would happen traditionally in a campaign. That happens so much earlier now, if you're not out there taking part of that battle you're being framed by your opponents and losing the debate. We can't just sit back."

Jerome and his team will fight smart and hard to win this seat for Warner and the liberal netroots in Virginia will do everything in their power to help.

I'm cautiously optimistic that whoever our candidate ends up being, whether Tom Davis, Jim Gilmore, or Eric Cantor, they'll give Jerome a serious run for his money and keep the Senate seat in Republican hands.