Democrat Abigail Spanberger leads Republican Winsome Earle-Sears by 17 points in new polling from Roanoke College.
28% of those who responded to the survey are still undecided in the race, however.
Harry Wilson conducted the survey, and he says that while that number seems high, he’s not too surprised considering the candidates in the race.
“And here you’ve got a member of Congress – known within her district — but outside of Congressional district, a lot of people are not going to know who you are," Wilson explains. "And lieutenant governor is just not a high visibility position – not to say it’s not important, but it’s not high visibility.”
Wilson says a lot of folks also just aren’t tuned into the race right now — especially in a state with elections every year and the last one just seven months in the rear-view mirror.
Another poll from a pro-business group — Virginia Free — shows a tighter contest — only a four-point lead for Spanberger.
As far as the direction the Commonwealth is currently headed, most Virginians say the state is on the wrong track — the first time in eight years that has happened in the Roanoke College polling.
51% of respondents said Virginia is headed in the wrong direction. That was accompanied by only a 46% approval rating for Glenn Youngkin's job as governor — his lowest mark ever in the school's polling.
“I’m not sure if that’s just because of intraparty squabbling among Republicans, or if that’s because of national economy or if that’s President Trump dragging him down — any or all those could be part of it,” Wilson says.
65% of those polled said they disapproved of Trump’s job as president so far — the worst number he’s seen in the Roanoke College polling in either of his terms as president.
