Opinion: Republican Bob McDonnell builds 11 point lead over Creigh Deeds in Virginia gov race: New poll

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The good news for Republicans is that heading into the last week of the closely watched Virginia governor’s campaign, their candidate, Bob McDonnell, leads his Democratic opponent by 11 points, according to a just-published poll.

Despite energetic campaign efforts by both President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, plus extra spending by the Democratic National Committee, the Washington Post reports this afternoon that McDonnell has a majority of likely-voting Virginians, 55 to 44, over Democratic rival R. Creigh Deeds.

The last time McDonnell and Deeds faced each other on the ballot, in the 2005 attorney general’s race, the Republican won by fewer than 350 votes.

The bad news for both Virginia and national Republicans: Seven in 10 likely voters told pollsters that the president’s personality, character and record will not be a factor in their ballot choice next Tuesday.

This, of course, will not stop either winning side from discrediting/crediting the Democratic president, whose hand-picked DNC chairman, Tim Kaine, is also the current Virginia governor.

The same, of course, goes for the outcome in the other major governor’s race, New Jersey, where Obama spoke last week for the reelection of Jon Corzine, who appears to be leading Republican Chris Christie.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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