George Allen in Mount Vernon: 'Cautiously Optimistic'

Former senator and Gov. and wife greeted voters Tuesday morning at Washington Mill Elementary School, a precinct near their home in Mount Vernon.

Allen stopped to chat with Patch: “Well, our goal obviously is to win and the bigger the turnout the better," he said. "I think most people recognize that the larger the turnout the stronger it’ll be for us. We have a lot of support through Virginia because people know me.

"I had the honor of serving Virginians in the U.S. Senate, as well as governor, and I know the communities and the people, and that’s not something that’s easily done just in a year of campaigning," Allen said. "We have good friendships and relationships throughout Virginia, so the bigger the turnout, the better it’ll be for us. We’re cautiously optimistic.”

Allen faces competition in today's Republican primary for the U.S. Senate from three challengers: tea party member , minister and state Del. of Prince William County. 

The Allens voted at their precinct and plan to visit other precincts around Northern Virginia today before heading to a rally in Richmond tonight to await results of the primary.

Meanwhile in Manassas, just before 10 a.m., Del. Marshall stepped out of his white Ford Crown Victoria and slowly strolled up the sidewalk of Signal Hill Elementary School in Manassas to cast his ballot at his home precinct in the Republican primary.

I had a lot of volunteers around Virginia, but clearly we didn’t have the money that (Republican U.S. Senate candidate) George Allen did, but this— at least the way it looks like it's turning out—is a campaign of intensity, not one of name ID. —Del. Bob Marshall

“I’m satisfied with what time I had [campaigning]," he told Patch. "I can’t tell who’s voting. This is like flying blind with no instruments or anything. I had a lot of volunteers around Virginia, but clearly we didn’t have the money that (Republican U.S. Senate candidate) George Allen did, but this— at least the way it looks like it's turning out—is a campaign of intensity, not one of name ID. We’ll find out at 7 o'clock tonight how accurate that is.”

His stance against the judgeship appointment of openly gay Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Tracy Thorne-Begland in May definitely thrust his name into the spotlight, though that wasn’t his original intention, Marshall said.

The winner of today's U.S. Senate GOP primary will face Democrat Tim Kaine, a former governor of Virginia. The U.S. Senate seat is currently occupied by Sen. Jim Webb, who announced his retirement last year from the Senate.