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As Biden Flounders, Virginia GOP Gov Candidate Youngkin Closes Gap to Tie McAuliffe in New Poll

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Virginia GOP gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin has closed the gap with Democratic candidate and former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe to a dead heat in a newly released poll.

In a Monmouth University survey, both candidates drew 46 percent support.

“This marks a shift from prior Monmouth polls where the Democrat held a 5-point lead (48% to 43% in September and 47% to 42% in August),” according to the polling group.

“The biggest swing in support from Monmouth’s last poll comes from independent voters, registering a 48% to 39% lead for Youngkin now compared with a 37% to 46% deficit in September,” Monmouth added.

Also buoying Youngkin’s prospects is a 23 point voter enthusiasm gap, up from 13 percent in September.

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“The gridlock in Washington certainly plays a role in dampening Democrats’ mood, but there are some stumbles on the part of the McAuliffe campaign that have also had an impact. Either way, this voter engagement gap is good news for Youngkin,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.

Monmouth’s survey showed President Joe Biden’s job approval number underwater.

“Biden gets a negative 43% approve and 52% disapprove rating from Virginia voters, which is down from his 46% to 49% rating in August,” the group said.

The 46th president won Virginia by 10 percentage points in November.

McAuliffe said earlier this month that Biden’s low approval numbers are creating a “headwind” in the governor’s race.

The tops issues identified by respondents in the Monmouth survey are the economy and education/schools.

McAuliffe still holds a 1.8 percent lead in the RealClear Politics average of polls, dating back to the beginning of October.

Political watchers have noted the Virginia governor’s race can be a bellwether for how the federal midterm elections will play out the following year.

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This was definitely true in 2009, when Republican Bob McDonnell defeated Democrat Creigh Deeds to become Virginia’s 71st governor, with 58.6 percent of the vote.

He was the last Republican elected to lead the commonwealth.

The win came after Democratic then-presidential candidate Barack Obama carried Virginia by a little over 6 percentage points in 2008.

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In the 2010 midterms, the GOP retook the House of Representatives in a Tea Party-fueled rout, picking up a net 63 seats.

The Hill reported that Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris are slated to stump for McAuliffe in the closing weeks of the campaign in hopes of increasing the turnout of Democratic voters.

The Monmouth University Poll was conducted by telephone from Oct. 16-19 among 1,005 registered Virginia voters. The margin of error reported was +/- 3.1 percent.

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Randy DeSoto has written more than 2,000 articles for The Western Journal since he joined the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."
Randy DeSoto is the senior staff writer for The Western Journal. He wrote and was the assistant producer of the documentary film "I Want Your Money" about the perils of Big Government, comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Randy is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths," which addresses how leaders have appealed to beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence at defining moments in our nation's history. He has been published in several political sites and newspapers.

Randy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in political science and Regent University School of Law with a juris doctorate.
Birthplace
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean's list from West Point
Education
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
We Hold These Truths
Professional Memberships
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Entertainment, Faith




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