Virginia Democrats are said to be wooing character actor and political mastermind, Ben Affleck, for Senator.

Why, who should happen to be pondering a move to Thomas Jefferson country but a certain square-jawed media magnet with a taste for liberal politics and millions to spend on it . . . Ben Affleck! Star of "Gigli" and the J.Lo tab romance, now happily settled with "Alias" star Jennifer Garner.

The couple, expecting their first child, have been shopping for real estate around Charlottesville. British tabloids claim it's a done deal; we will only go so far as to report that they checked out at least one country estate a few weeks ago.

It was about that time that party officials started batting Affleck's name around. "It's spread pretty widely, at least in the political underground," University of Virginia professor Larry Sabato, Virginia's premier pundit, told Michael Shear, The Post's Richmond correspondent.

Let's see, Afleck was born in Berkeley California and raised in Cambridge Massachusetts. He dropped out of college, has a few petty arrests, and even more petty romances, engagements, etc that are constantly in the news. He is also well known for starring in the froo froo film, Gigli. I seriously doubt that he'll be able to unseat Virginia native, college football hero, son of a pro football hall of fame coach, and former Virginia Governor George Allen.

If the Dems really want a viable celebrity candidate - someone who Virginians might actually vote for - they should enlist Boo Radley. Actor Robert Duvall is also from California, but he at least owns land in Virginia. He has owned a ranch in Charlottesville for years, and is a direct descendent of another Virginia native and field general, Robert E. Lee. Duvall can also trace his roots back to another great Virginian, President George Washington. He's served in the Army (briefly), is the son of an Admiral, and quite frankly, could kick Ben Affleck's ass even at the ripe old age of 74.

I still doubt he could beat George Allen, but at least he'd stand a chance.