McDonnell Widens Lead Over Deeds (VA Gov. race)

[JohnBrowdie]

If virginia is an early indicator of the midterms, then the dems are in trouble and sinking fast.  I'm not buying it, at least not yet.  it does give me a bit of a thrill to see the WaPo have to print a story favorable to mcdonnell, since they jumped into the race with both feet and tried to torpedo his campaign with the silly story about that thesis.

McDonnell Widens Lead Over Deeds
Poll Finds Voters Are Looking at Stands On Issues, Tone of Ads in Governor's Race

Republican Robert F. McDonnell has taken a commanding lead over R. Creigh Deeds in the race for governor of Virginia as momentum the Democrat had built with an attack on his opponent's conservative social views has dissipated, according to a new Washington Post poll.

McDonnell leads 53 to 44 percent among likely voters, expanding on the four-point lead he held in mid-September. Deeds's advantage with female voters has all but disappeared, and McDonnell has grown his already wide margin among independents. Deeds, a state senator from western Virginia, is widely seen by voters as running a negative campaign, a finding that might indicate that his aggressive efforts to exploit McDonnell's 20-year-old graduate thesis are turning voters away.

Much of the movement since last month has come in Northern Virginia, where Deeds's 17-point lead has been whittled significantly, even in the area's left-leaning inner suburbs.

The poll indicates that the GOP is well-positioned to emphatically end a recent Democratic winning streak, with Republicans Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli each holding identical 49 to 40 percent leads over Democrats Jody Wagner and Steve Shannon for lieutenant governor and attorney general.

The survey reflects the trend of the campaign over recent weeks. After being on the defensive since his thesis was published in late August, McDonnell has been able to retake momentum by focusing on issues, such as the economy and transportation, and articulating his vision to voters. McDonnell has been aided by airing twice as many campaign ads in Northern Virginia.

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[JohnBrowdie]

all deeds has is that 20 year old thesis.  he's running non-stop ads on it, his allies at the washington post are running it constantly, and now he has nothing during a debate except for that silly thesis.  good luck with that one, creep.  even if you win, what sort of mandate do you think that gets you?  that's right, nothing.   

In TV Debate, Deeds Hammers McDonnell on Thesis

Trailing in polls, Democrat Creigh Deeds came out swinging in a live, prime-time governor's race debate, attacking Republican Bob McDonnell as no friend of working women and twice accusing him of lying.

Deeds was the early aggressor Monday night, flailing McDonnell on a conservative graduate thesis he wrote in 1989, but McDonnell appeared relaxed and confident, claiming Deeds supports $1 billion in new taxes.

Both said they would keep in place an executive order mandating equal pay for male and female government employees. Deeds noted that in 2001 McDonnell opposed a similar resolution.
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[JohnBrowdie]

the thesis attack just isn't working;  mcdonnell is maintaining his lead, if not extending it.  a bit more surprising is the race in NJ, where corzine has apparently pulled even despite higher taxes, a bloated deficit, and unemployment at almost 10%.

[JohnBrowdie]

Gore is going to Virginia?   I hope their snow plows are ready.   and if it does manage to energize the dem base, gore's lunatic ravings will chase even more moderates to mcdonnell.

Gore coming to Va. for Deeds

Former Vice President Al Gore will be coming to Virginia on Friday to give a last-minute boost to the Democratic candidate for governor, Creigh Deeds, a party source said.

Gore will headline a private fundraiser in McLean at the home of longtime Democratic supporters Al and Claire Dwoskin.

The visit will provide positive publicity for Deeds in the days before the Nov. 3 election, when Deeds will face Bob McDonnell, the Republican nominee.

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[JohnBrowdie]

why?  clinton lost VA twice -- once to bob dole, for God's sake -- and mcauliffe spent a small mountain of money during the primary, and rocked for slightly more than 25% of the vote.  neither one of these guys are going to jazz the base, and could easily frighten any skittish moderates in the neighborhood over to mcdonnell.

Clinton, McAuliffe to stump for Deeds

In advance of President Obama campaigning for Creigh Deeds next week in Virginia's upcoming gubernatorial contest, Team Deeds has just announced that Bill Clinton -- along with Terry McAuliffe, whom Deeds defeated in the Dem primary -- will stump for Deeds tomorrow in Northern Virginia.

Democrats are trying to do everything they can to narrow a race that Republican Bob McDonnell is comfortably leading, according to the polls

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