Election 2009: Virginia Governor Election
2009 Virginia Governor: McDonnell (R) 47% Deeds (D) 38%
Tuesday, August 11, 2009 Email to a Friend ShareThis.Advertisement
Republican candidate Robert F. McDonnell has opened a nine-point lead over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds in the race for governor in Virginia.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Virginia voters finds McDonnell leading Deeds 47% to 38%. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate, and 12% are undecided.
These figures reflect an improvement for McDonnell. A month ago, the GOP hopeful led by just three percentage points. Since then, he has gained three percentage points of support while Deeds has lost three percentage points.
When “leaners” are included, McDonnell leads 49% to 41%. Leaners are those who initially indicate no preference for either of the candidates but answer a follow-up question and say they are leaning towards a particular candidate.
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Fifty-three percent (53%) of Virginia voters have a favorable view of McDonnell, up three points over the past month.
Deeds, who is hoping to be the state's third Democratic governor in a row, is seen favorably by 48%, down a point from a month ago.
President Obama’s numbers have slipped a bit both nationally and in Virginia. Last November, Obama became the first Democrat to carry Virginia since 1964. Today, 48% of the state’s voters approve of the way he’s doing his job. That’s down three points from a month ago.
Thirty-nine percent (39%) of Virginia voters Strongly Approve of the president’s performance while 41% Strongly Disapprove.
By a 48% to 30% margin, Virginia voters trust McDonnell more than Deeds on taxes. The Republican hopeful has a similar advantage on the issue of government spending.
However, on the critical issue of transportation, voters are more evenly divided. Thirty-six percent (36%) trust McDonnell more while 33% trust Deeds and 31% are not sure. But those figures reflect an improvement for McDonnell. A month ago, Deeds had a four-point edge on the issue.
Forty-two percent (42%) like McDonnell's idea of privatizing Virginia's state-run liquor stores as a way to help finance transportation projects. Twenty-eight percent (28%) oppose that plan.
Deeds on Monday began attacking McDonnell, a pro-life Catholic, for his legislative efforts to limit abortions in the state, but the new survey finds that voters give the GOP candidate a 12-point edge in terms of trust on the abortion issue.
In this year’s other big election contest, Republican challenger Chris Christie has a double-digit lead over incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine in the New Jersey governor’s race.
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