So, is there a gender gap in the Virginia Senate race or not?

Sen. George Allen has been hitting Webb's support among women voters with everything he's got, from Webb's comments about women in the service, to the book excerpts that read kinda like a Foley Instant Message, to now, accusing that Webb only expanded opportunities for women in the Navy after "Sens. William Proxmire, William Cohen and John McCain had all informed Mr. Webb that legislation forcing the Navy to open more billets to women would be forthcoming if the action was not taken independently."

Allen's also hitting Webb for attempting to "forestall construction of a Vietnam Women's Memorial, because "only" "10,000 women served in Vietnam and "only" eight died."

Is all of this having an effect on Webb's numbers with women? Mason-Dixon would tell you yes:

Among men, 49 percent favored Allen, 41 percent backed Webb. Women were split at 45 percent for each candidate.

But Survey USA would tell you no:

Today, Allen leads by 14 among males; Webb leads by 9 among females.

The Post poll of last Sunday had Allen up two among women.

It would seem that Jim Webb is tailor-made to be stronger among men than your average Democrat - the military background, the political incorrectness, the Buchananite views and style. Remember, he was the guy behind "Rules of Engagement," which portrayed Sandy Berger as a slimy, backstabbing weasel willing to break the law and sell out men in uniform to cover his butt. (Yes, the character was named something else, but the administration was specifically and explicitly Clinton's; in the abandoned embassy, Tommy Lee Jones looks at the still-hanging portraits of Bill Clinton and Al Gore. The irony, of course, is that Jones the actor is looking at a portrait of his college roommate.) Of course, that means he probably comes across as too much of a cussin' uncouth hell-raiser for the soccer moms, who would just as easily keep the pleasant, polite George Allen.

Which creeps Virginia women out more, "macaca", or the scene of the man turning his son upside down and... well, you know the rest.