Former Governor Terry McAuliffe holds a commanding lead in the latest poll with less than 50 days until Democratic voters across Virginia choose the gubernatorial nominee. Del. Sam Rasoul holds a lead in the lieutenant governor field but the majority of voters were still undecided in this race. Attorney General Mark Herring continues to show a strong lead over his challenger, Del. Jay Jones.
According to the poll completed by the Wason Center at Christopher Newport University, 47% of Democratic voters support McAuliffe for governor. Next was Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (8%), state Sen. Jennifer McClellan (6%), Jennifer Carrol Foy (5%) and Del. Lee Carter (1%).
27% of voters remain undecided.
McAuliffe is the most widely known candidate in the field with a favorable/unfavorable rating among Democratic voters of 56% to 14%, while 28% indicated no opinion. Fairfax follows with a closely divided favorable/unfavorable rating of 27% to 26%, and 45% indicating no opinion.
According to the poll, most voters say they have no opinion of McClellan (73%), Carrol Foy (78%) or Carter (86%).
Among those who hold an opinion, however, McClellan has a 20% to 5% favorable/unfavorable rating and Carroll Foy has a 15% to 5% favorable/unfavorable. “Name recognition is a big head start, but it’s better when voters’ impression is mostly favorable,” said Wason Center Academic Director Dr. Quentin Kidd.
Nearly two out of three Democratic voters (64%) responded that they are undecided in the crowded contest for the party’s lieutenant governor bid where six candidates are vying for the nomination.
Del. Sam Rasoul is the front runner in The Wason Center poll with 12% support. Del. Elizabeth Guzman was in second with 4% of Democratic voters saying they support her, she actually dropped out of the race last week, however, when the poll was in the field.
None of the remaining lieutenant governor candidates received more than 2% support.
Two-term attorney general incumbent Mark Herring (42%) has a solid lead over Del. Jay Jones (18%), with 34% of Democratic voters undecided. Jones’s support has grown while Herring’s support has not changed since the February Wason Center poll (42% Herring to 3% Jones, 50% undecided).
Voters will choose the nominees in a June 8 primary election.
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