“I had a guy say to me: ‘Look, I’ve voted for you before, I’ll probably vote for you again. But not this time. I’m sorry, but you’re just collateral damage,’ ” [Republican Congressman Tom] Davis told me. He recalled another voter telling him: “ ‘I like you, you’re good. But I’ve just got to send a message to Bush.’ I said, ‘Look, give me a letter, I’ll take it to him for you personally.’ ”

-- Peter Baker