It’s still eleven months out, and we have no idea right now who the Democratic nominee is going to be, but it’s looking like next year’s Governor’s race could be one of the closest in recent memory:
[T]he four leading candidates for the next governor of Virginia are neck-and-neck at this point, with one-third of voters in the state not aware of any of them enough to even an opinion about them.
Rep. Brian J. Moran of Alexandria is the only one of three leading Democratic hopefuls who beats Republican Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell in a straight match-up, 41% to 37%, according to a new Rasmussen Reports survey of Virginia voters. Five percent (5%) favor some other unspecified candidate, and 16% are undecided.
McDonnell, who is expected to be his party’s unchallenged gubernatorial nominee, runs dead even with Rep. R. Creigh Deeds of Bath County at 39% apiece. Four percent (4%) prefer a third candidate, and 18% aren’t sure. This is a repeat match-up for the two since McDonnell defeated Deeds for attorney general in 2005 in a race so close it required a recount.
Deeds is also the favorite among Democratic voters who will select a gubernatorial nominee in a June primary.
The best-known of all four candidates, longtime Clinton confidant and fundraiser Terry McAuliffe, trails McDonnell 41% to 36%. Five percent (5%) like another candidate better, while 17% are undecided.
Unaffiliated voters prefer the Republican in all three match-ups, although McDonnell beats Moran by a statistically insignificant one percentage point.
Among the Democratic candidates, Creigh Deeds has better favorability ratings than his opponents, but there’s no clear indication of a leader:
Deeds is regarded favorably by 37% of Virginia voters and unfavorably by 24%. Thirty-eight percent (38%) have no opinion of him.
For Moran, his favorables are 33%, his unfavorables 31%, with 36% having no opinion.
McAuliffe, who served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2001 to 2005, is seen favorably by 36% and unfavorably by 34%, with only 30% undecided about him.
All three Democrats are viewed Very favorably by 11% of Virginia voters.
Deeds is the most popular among Democratic voters, with 55% viewing him favorably, including 23% who are Very Favorable. But McAuliffe is a close second, with 52% favorability, including 20% who are Very Favorable. Moran is seen favorably by 48% of Democrats, 15% of whom regard him Very favorably.
It’s looking to be a very interesting, very competitive race.
