(Angus Reid Global Scan) – Democrat Tim Kaine is now the top candidate in the Old Dominion State’s gubernatorial race, according to a poll by SurveyUSA released by WSLS-TV. 47 per cent of respondents would vote for the current lieutenant governor in next month’s election.
(Angus Reid Global Scan) – Democrat Tim Kaine is now the top candidate in the Old Dominion State’s gubernatorial race, according to a poll by SurveyUSA released by WSLS-TV. 47 per cent of respondents would vote for the current lieutenant governor in next month’s election.
Republican former state attorney general Jerry Kilgore is in second place with 45 per cent, followed by Russ Potts—a Republican state senator who is running as an independent—with four per cent. Support for Kaine increased by four points since September, while backing for Kilgore fell by one point.
Earlier this month, the Republican campaign launched a television advertisement that accuses Kaine of not supporting the death penalty, and features the image of Adolf Hitler. Kilgore spokesman J. Tucker Martin said there were no plans to take the spot off the airwaves, saying, “Neither that ad, nor (Kaine’s) anti-death-penalty record, are going away.”
Current Virginia governor Mark Warner—who has been mentioned as a possible Democratic presidential nominee in 2008—cannot seek a consecutive term in office. Since 1970, Virginia has had five Republican and four Democratic heads of government.
Polling Data
Voters in Virginia will elect a governor on Nov. 8. If the election were held today, and the only three candidates in the ballot were Republican Jerry Kilgore, Democrat Tim Kaine, and independent Russ Potts, who would you vote for?
Oct. 2005 | Sept. 2005 | Jul. 2005 | |
Tim Kaine (D) | 47% | 43% | 43% |
Jerry Kilgore (R) | 45% | 46% | 48% |
Russ Potts (I) | 4% | 4% | 3% |
Other / Undecided | 4% | 7% | 7% |
Source: SurveyUSA / WSLS-TV
Methodology: Telephone interviews to 750 likely Virginia voters, conducted from Oct. 14 to Oct. 16, 2005. Margin of error is 4 per cent.
