Bob McDonnell Leads Three Democratic Candidates

Just two days after New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg came into Virgina in an attempt to influence the governor's election by pounding on Bob McDonnell for not supporting the "Gun Show Loophole" bill, pollster Scott Rasmussen reported in a head to head match up with the three Democratic candidates running for governor, McDonnell leads all three. To some extent this could be due to McDonnell having higher name ID (though it would be hard to image that the name Terry McAuliffe is completely unknown).

The former attorney general and lone GOP candidate, and Brian J. Moran, a former state delegate from Alexandria. McDonnell now leads Moran by 10 points, 44% to 34%.

The highest profile Democrat in the race is next. Terry McAuliffe, a longtime Clinton confidant and former national party chairman, trails McDonnell by 12 points, 45% to 33%.

State Delegate R. Creigh Deeds of Bath County continues to fare the worst against his Republican opponent. McDonnell leads Deeds by 15 points, 45% to 30%. Deeds is the only Democrat in the race that has had a dependable pro-rights voting record.

Virginia Democrats will pick their gubernatorial nominee in a June 9 primary and Rasmussen reports that the Democratic Primary competition is having an impact on the General Election polls. According to Rasmussen, each of the three Democratic candidates attracts a relatively low level of support from within their own party in the current polls and a correspondingly large number of Democrats who are undecided.