Although the Virginia gubernatorial election isn’t until November(and, for that matter, the respective parties have yet to officially nominate anyone), the folks over at Public Policy Polling recently polled the presumptive candidates, former DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe and current VA Atty. Gen. Ken Cucinelli and found McAuliffe with an early lead, 46-41 percent; when current VA Lt.Gov. Bill Bolling is added to mix as a third-party challenger, the two-party lead for McAuliffe expands to 40-32 percent with Bolling receiving 15 percent.
What’s striking, though, in this early PPP poll of VA voters is just how unpopular Cucinelli is; 11% of Republicans polled said they would cross and vote for McAuliffe, while only 6% of Democrats said likewise, according to PPP’s Dean Debnam….
“Ken Cuccinelli’s unpopularity is really the story of the race at this point,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Even to a decent number of Republicans he is an unacceptable candidate, and that could give Bill Bolling an opening to run a viable independent campaign.”
Although Virignia has, since the late 70′s, traditionally given the statehouse to whichever party is outside the White House, Cucinelli’s numbers, if they continue as they are, could once again snatch defeat from the jaws of victory for Republicans…
note: Polling data & crosstabs can be found here.
