Most Virginians continue to like the job Governor Bob McDonnell is doing, but they also do not like Ken Cuccinelli or Terry McAuliffe. However, and what seems to be a Democrat advantage, is that despite the fact that Democrats are not keen on McAuliffe they are going to vote for him anyway. The same cannot be said for the GOP who seems to be acting like a bunch of spiteful children willing to cut off their own nose to spite their face.
With the enormous technology deficit that the GOP finally realized they had in the 2012 election, they should be putting to the test the enormous amount of time and money they have spent to close that deficit in the Virginia governor’s race. Instead, they are seemingly set on repeating the same “but I don’t like Mitt Romney” strategy that delivered another 4 years of Barack Obama as president.
The polls have been all over the place in the Virginia race, but what has been consistent is that Cuccinelli has relatively high unfavorables among GOP voters. Again, the same as true of McAuliffe, but the Democrats thus far have chosen to stand by him, whereas GOP voters have either chosen to remove themselves from the race, or shift over to McAuliffe – albeit in very small numbers.
The Democrats are gunning for Virginia to lock the GOP out of an electoral majority, and if McAuliffe wins it will be a major victory for the progressive movement. I have little doubt that the GOP will whine the day after about demographics and voter fraud.
To be certain, the “Old Dominion” demographically speaking is looking more like the “New Dominion,” but Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has enjoyed a tremendous amount of broad-base support among many who are not traditionally GOP voters.
The latest Rasmussen Reports survey found that 59% of Likely Virginia Voters at least “Somewhat Approve” of Governor McDonnell’s job performance, while 34% disapprove. These figures include a “Strong Approval” from 20% of Virginians and a “Strong Disapproval” from just 13%.
| Poll | Date | Sample | Cuccinelli (R) | McAuliffe (D) | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCP Average | 4/28 – 5/26 | — | 42.8 | 42.0 | Cuccinelli +0.8 |
| PPP (D) | 5/24 – 5/26 | 672 RV | 37 | 42 | McAuliffe +5 |
| Quinnipiac | 5/8 – 5/13 | 1286 RV | 38 | 43 | McAuliffe +5 |
| Washington Post | 4/29 – 5/2 | 663 LV | 51 | 41 | Cuccinelli +10 |
| NBC News/Marist | 4/28 – 5/2 | 692 LV | 45 | 42 | Cuccinelli +3 |
| Roanoke College | 4/8 – 4/14 | RV | 35 | 27 | Cuccinelli +8 |
| Quinnipiac | 3/20 – 3/25 | 1098 RV | 40 | 38 | Cuccinelli +2 |
| Univ. of Mary Washington | 3/20 – 3/24 | 1004 A | 37 | 38 | McAuliffe +1 |
| Quinnipiac | 2/14 – 2/18 | 1112 RV | 38 | 38 | Tie |
| Roanoke College | 1/14 – 1/22 | RV | 33 | 26 | Cuccinelli +7 |
| Christopher Newport Univ. | 1/14 – 1/20 | 1015 RV | 30 | 31 | McAuliffe +1 |
| Quinnipiac | 1/4 – 1/7 | 1134 RV | 39 | 40 | McAuliffe +1 |
| PPP (D) | 1/4 – 1/6 | 602 RV | 41 | 46 | McAuliffe +5 |
| Quinnipiac | 11/8 – 11/12 | 1469 RV | 37 | 41 | McAuliffe +4 |
| PPP (D) | 8/16 – 8/19 | 855 LV | 40 | 40 | Tie |
| PPP (D) | 7/5 – 7/8 | 647 RV | 37 | 41 | McAuliffe +4 |
| PPP (D) | 4/26 – 4/29 | 680 RV | 36 | 41 | McAuliffe +5 |
| PPP (D) | 12/11 – 12/13 | 600 RV | 41 | 40 | Cuccinelli +1 |
| PPP (D) | 7/21 – 7/24 | 500 RV | 41 | 38 | Cuccinelli +3 |
