By Marc Fisher

 Thursday, November 8, 2007; Page B01

There's nothing quite like a good whupping to clarify the need for change. When Virginia Republicans went down to defeat in Fairfax, Loudoun and throughout the state Tuesday, the lesson was simple and direct: To avoid losing Northern Virginia for many years to come, the Republican Party must moderate its message.

"This is not a blip," says Sen. Russ Potts, the moderate Republican from Winchester who is retiring in part because of his party's rightward turn. "This is a change in the face of Virginia politics for the next 20 years. This business of no-tax pledges and no-abortions, no-exceptions is not going to fly. The party desperately needs to widen the circle."

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