State of the nation

Matt Frei has been undertaking a year-long look at the town of Culpeper in the 'swing state' of Virginia.

With a population of 15,000, Culpeper is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains about 90 minutes from Washington D.C.

Virginia is likely to play a pivotal role in the outcome of the 2008 presidential election.

So what issues will inform the political choices of the residents of Culpeper?

INTRODUCING CULPEPER

In November 2007, exactly 52 Tuesdays before election day, Matt Frei filed his first report from Culpeper.

He introduced himself to a random cast of characters from the town.

These ranged from Lee Hart, the local sheriff, to Rita Johnson, a high school Spanish teacher.

Some were firm in their loyalty to their party.

Others like Cathi Buchanan were 'swing voters'.

Over the course of the year, Matt would find how the residents' cares, concerns, and opinions of the presidential hopefuls evolved.

FEAR OF RECESSION

Matt Frei returned to Culpeper at the close of 2007, on the eve of the Iowa caucuses.

With a wave of foreclosures and bankruptcies, the credit crunch was starting to bite.

Matt was introduced to Louise Roberts, a hairdresser, born and raised in Culpeper.

With a salon in the less well-to-do part of town, she was now offering free haircuts to poorer customers.

Meanwhile, Sheriff Lee Hart was stepping down after eight years in the job, leaving a town that had become too expensive for him.

POTOMAC PRIMARIES

On the eve of the east coast Potomac Primaries, Matt Frei paid another visit to Culpeper.

With four serious candidates left in the race for nominations, it was Virginia's turn to choose.

After the indecisive outcome of Super Tuesday, Virginia's primary was not the usual sideshow.

Matt caught up with Betsy Smith, a Baptist preacher, during a workout in the gym.

She told him why the Lewinsky affair meant she could not vote for Hillary Clinton.

And Louise Roberts explained why Bill Clinton provoked her to vote for Barack Obama.

OBAMA VERSUS MCCAIN

As summer arrived, the credit crunch was biting hard in Culpeper, with 40 foreclosures a month.

Matt Frei met two more residents on the sharp end of the crunch.

Local farmer Doug Mayhugh was finding himself unable to pay himself a salary for the first time in 14 years.

And a tour of the county's last family-owned bakery revealed no part of the local economy was immune from the downturn.

REACTING TO OBAMA

In June Matt returned to Culpeper to see if Barack Obama's victory against Hillary Clinton had changed anyone's outlook on the presidential race.

Louise Roberts had grown up in a time of racial segregation.

What did Obama's nomination mean to her?

Still finding life tough on his farm, Doug Mayhugh explained why he was backing John McCain as the best 'war' candidate.

CULPEPER AND THE CONVENTIONS

Matt made his sixth trip to Culpeper in late August, just as the party conventions were about to get underway.

He visited the Democratic national headquarters where the campaign machine was in full swing.

It's the first time the Democratic party has set up national headquarters in Culpeper since 1964, a sign of its confidence that it can take Virginia.

Matt met Sonny Riggs, an underground excavator by trade and lifelong Republican, who explained why he had been moved to make a party donation for the first time in his life.

Matt also paid a visit to Joan Byrnes, in her high street tea shop, to hear about her dilemmas, now that her favourite Hillary Clinton was no longer in the running.

DECISION TIME

In October, with just two weeks to go before election day, Matt returned to Culpeper.

As predicted, Virginia had become a hotly contested battleground.

Both campaigns had spent over 20 million dollars in the state on tv adverts alone.

Half a million new voters had registered.

What did these new voters make of the candidates' choices of running mates?

And what impact had the government's historic Wall Street bailout had on voters?