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New Poll: McAuliffe Holds a 5-Point Advantage Over Youngkin

The August temperatures aren't the only thing getting hotter. The campaign for governor is heating up as the fall election season draws closer.

Former Governor Terry McAuliffe is leading Republican Glenn Youngkin by five points in a new poll from Conservatives for Clean Energy. That's just outside of the margin of error for the poll, which was 3.6%. Ron Butler is state director of Conservatives for Clean Energy, and he says Youngkin may end up benefiting from President Biden's low job approval number in Virginia, which is only 47%.

"The positive news for him is that Biden's job approval here is below 50%," Butler says. "And that to me gives Youngkin a window that he could actually make this a competitive race and win if it continues that way."

The five point lead for McAuliffe in this poll tracks with other polls in the race, although there haven't been all that many. Quentin Kidd at Christopher Newport University says the race may end up being about the influence of former President Trump.

"The effect of Donald Trump on Virginia politics was probably an advantage to Democrats of an additional four or five points," Kidd explains. "With Donald Trump not in the White House, that advantage may evaporate a little bit. Of course, Donald Trump may play a bigger role as we go into the fall sprint."

The poll also shows widespread support for solar energy, including the right of landowners to put solar panels on their property. That’s an issue Conservatives for Clean Energy are hoping both candidates can agree on.

This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.

Michael Pope is an author and journalist who lives in Old Town Alexandria.