SurveyUSA has an interesting poll of Virginia voters out showing the results of a variety of head-to-head matchups.
With Virginia increasingly seen as a “purple” state, a new poll shows the leading presidential contenders for each party in a virtual tie, one year before the 2008 vote.
If the election were held Monday, both Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-New York) and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) would garner the support of 45 percent of registered voters, according to the poll conducted by SurveyUSA and sponsored by WJLA. Ten percent of voters remained undecided.
But the numbers would change were Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) to be the Republican nominee in 2008. McCain would win a head-to-head matchup with Clinton, 51 percent to 42 percent. According to the poll, McCain was the preferred Republican candidate for Virginia voters, and was the only candidate who could beat Clinton.
Clinton outpolls former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Massachusetts) 48 percent to 41 percent and former Gov. Mike Huckabee 50 percent to 40 percent.
The Democrat’s second strongest candidate in primary election polls, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Illinois) does not fare as well against McCain or Giuliani. Virginia voters prefer McCain to Obama 51 percent to 41 percent and prefer Giuliani 47 percent to 43 percent.
Obama does well against two other possible Republican nominees, out polling Romney 48 percent to 41 percent and Huckabee 50 percent to 38 percent.
Given that Virginia has gone Republican in every election since 1968, this can’t be a good sign for the GOP.
