A new poll by the University of Mary Washington and Research America shows Republican candidate for governor Glenn Youngkin leads Democrat Terry McAuliffe among likely voters, 48 to 43 percent. However, McAuliffe leads among registered voters, 46 percent to 41 percent. The poll’s author says “The large number of undecided voters demonstrates that either major party candidate can become the next governor of Virginia.”
About a month and a half out from the finale of the Virginia governor’s race, optimism among Democrats in this state long trending blue is increasingly tinged with nervousness. Meanwhile, Republicans long stuck in the political wilderness are more hopeful and energized than they’ve been in years. Recent polling is part of the reason why. Democratic candidate and former governor Terry McAuliffe’s race against Republican Glenn Youngkin is one of the country’s most competitive and closely watched political matchups of the year.