Together, the Webb and Allen campaigns are transforming the image of the independent blogger, clicking away on his own dime from his basement. And they are pushing the boundaries of federal campaign finance laws as blogs that once were personal diaries have come to resemble full-blown campaign operations that don't have to be reported as expenses.

The goal of the paid bloggers, both campaigns say, is to deluge online political journals with positive tidbits about their candidate and draw attention to the most negative news about their opponent. The campaign bloggers sometimes write their own bits. Other times, they spread gossip generated by others.

"We just feel like if the left is going to run rampant, we have to respond in some way," said Chad Dotson, one of the new pro-Allen bloggers and the prosecutor in Wise County. "We decided enough is enough. It's something we should have done before."

Jon Henke, Allen's new blog guru, said he will try to do in the eight weeks until the Nov. 7 election what Democrats have been doing online for months in Virginia. "Our goal is to engage the blogosphere to get our message out," he said.