New Poll Shows Cuccinelli, McAuliffe in Dead Heat - Cuccinelli Has Edge on Experience

The latest Quinnipiac University poll of the 2013 Virginia Governor's race shows Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe in a statistical dead heat.  But the poll also found that while a large number of voters don't know enough about either candidate, of those that do, more believe Cuccinelli has more of the necessary experience to be Governor.  From the Richmond Times Dispatch:

Cuccinelli is viewed to have the right experience for the job by a margin of 44-22 percent, while McAuliffe registered 28-23 percent.

The poll also identified weaknesses for both candidates - a little less than a third viewed Attorney General Cuccinelli as "too conservative" while about a third viewed him as having a political philosophy that is just about right.  McAuliffe was viewed by about 21% to be too liberal and about right by 29%.

Clearly, if Cuccinelli can raise the money to introduce himself to those who say they don't know enough about him before McAuliffe defines him, then the AG can keep the race from being about him, and instead make it about what he will do to keep the state going in the direction that Governor Bob McDonnell has steered the last four years.  McAuliffe may have a more difficult task in showing the voters that he is more than just a political hack looking to add to his resume.