Beyer hopes to move women voters, paint Gilmore as "extreme" and force moderate and liberal voters but also polarize the race around more traditional liberal versus conservative moral issues.

CNN: Car-Tax Issue Lifts Gilmore In Virginia

Similarly, a study of national election data by Alan Abramovitz found that in 1984, some 41% identified themselves at the midpoint of an ideological scale versus 10% who placed themselves at liberal or conservative extremes.

CNN: Is America becoming a house divided against itself?