I missed Singh’s non-victory “victory party” last night, but my thoughts are summed up well by Richard Spencer who was there: “I don’t know what the Ellmore victory party was like, but I seriously doubt youth and talk of limiting government and getting out of Iraq were on display.”

As I noted last night, Singh did well given a rushed campaign and last minute dirty tactics by Ellmore. In many ways the defeat may be a blessing in disguise for Singh. Ellmore will now get destroyed by Jim Moran in the general election and Singh is set up to win the nomination next cycle.

Singh could have a better chance in 2010 when voters may be ready to throw out the Democrats after what will likely be two years of Democrat control of both houses of Congress and the White House.

Of course VA-8 will be a very blue district for the foreseeable future, so even then Singh would be a long shot. However, it has become clear that in 2008 the GOP brand has been so poisoned that even Singh - who seems to reject the current GOP’s big spending, pro-torture, war-making ways - would find himself dragged under by the taint of the “R” next to is name.