Virginia Governor Race now a Tossup?

[Robbins]

The latest RAS poll has Mcdonnell Leading 48 to Deeds at 46.So If RAS Is correct,and fairly soon It's
2009 races should be taken somewhat seriously while the 2010 races polls from RAS should be Ignored
till september/October 2010,It Is now a dead heat In Virginia.

Possible the Thesis from Mcdonnell Is starting to hurt him.

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. kick

[Phx_Dem]

2. Sweet. I hope Rahm is digging up more shit on McDonnell.

Guys like him have closets full of skeletons.

[Marsala]

3. Rasmussen tends to lean Republican, too, especially in state polls

It's definitely a tossup. It is funny that we have already forgotten from last year how worthless most polls are when taken months in advance. If early polls were reliable, either Rudy or Hillary would be our president right now.

[ShadowLiberal]

4. Wow, those are the best numbers I've heard for us, and from Rasmussen to

If Rasmussen says it then I think definitely is a toss up.

But like you said their 2010 polls are still worthless.

[grantcart]

5. what was the thesis about?

[Cha]

6. Seems Bob Mcdonnell is a sneaky asshole..

<snip>>>

"Inside the beltway, Democrats have been on the defensive. Almost a year after Barack Obama won the White House and Democrats swept to victory across the country, Republicans, it seems, have managed to seize the narrative over healthcare, cap-and-trade, and government spending
—an advantage the White House sought to counter with Obama's healthcare speech last night. Obama's approval ratings have gone from soaring to souring, with the most immediate political consequence being two governor's races, New Jersey and Virginia, where Republican contenders have built surprising leads.

But in Virginia, Democrats may have caught a break earlier this month when Republican Bob McDonnell hit his first speed bump. The Washington Post revealed a 20-year-old graduate thesis by McDonnell that outlined his vision for how the government could strengthen the "traditional family" and argued against working women, abortion, and gay rights.

The thesis, written while McDonnell was at Virginia Beach's evangelical Regent University pursuing degrees in public policy and law, took a far-right approach on a number of social issues. Calling feminism one of the "real enemies of the traditional family," McDonnell wrote that working women were "detrimental" to family values. He also wrote that a 1972 Supreme Court decision that allowed unmarried couples to use contraception was "illogical," that the government should "fight any attempts to redefine family by allowing special rights for homosexuals or single-parent unwed mothers," and that government should "statutorily and procedurally prefer married couples over cohabitators, homosexuals, or fornicators."

<more>>>
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/politics/2009/09/10/mcdonnell-thesis-heats-up-virginia-governors-race.html

[grantcart]

8. well I have to say that there should be a complete amnesty against

all thesis.

For Democrats and Republicans. If you can't be outlandish and stupid then, when can you?


Although I would be interested in what he had to say about that thesis now.

[spooky3]

10. I think he was in his 30s when he wrote the thesis.

Not really the same as a 20 year old.

He has also taken anti-women positions while in office.

He may not be as open about his views as he was at that time but those views are still shaping his political behavior.

[grantcart]

13. no amnesty for 30 year olds lol

[Cha]

15. Thanks for that further info

on mcdonnell.

[Cha]

11. Oh, it will be denial..one would have to look

at his record ..Deeds has been saying he's not a moderate.

They went after Obama's kindergarten papers so I guess this seem fair game now.

I read orly is trying to get a hold of PO's college papers..at least they're complaining that they aren't being released. I don't know anything beyond that.

[Blue_Tires]

16. yeah, Deeds got a big boost from that...

[Doctor_J]

7. Is McDonnell the one who doesn't remember if he engaged

in oral sex?

[Jennicut]

9. Good news! If its Rasmussen, the race is definately a close one.

Mcdonnell is a unlikable, homophobic sexist and the VA people are just learning that now.

[Thrill]

12. If thats what it is in Raspuke Poll. Then Deeds is up 10 points

[Honeycombe8]

14. Which one is the D, and which is the R? If it's a dead heat, what was it before (the trend)? nt

[ohheckyeah]

18. Deeds is the Democrat

After Gilmore I don't now why any Virginian would consider voting for a Republican governor at this time.

[ohheckyeah]

17. Deeds has been running

ads pointing out McDonnell voted to give a huge increase to the electric companies because they were "entitled" to it. I don't think that's helping McDonnell at all. His thesis isn't helping either.

[iceman66]

19. This is great news.

McDonnell is just awful.

[Arugula Latte]

20. Kos's polling shows a different result, unfortunately.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/9/18/783761/-VA-Gov:-Not-much-change-(unlike-Ras)

VA-Gov: Not much change (unlike Ras)
by kos
Digg this! Share this on Twitter - VA-Gov: Not much change (unlike Ras)Tweet this submit to reddit Share This
Fri Sep 18, 2009 at 08:22:03 AM PDT

Has it really been six weeks since we last polled Virginia?

Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 9/14-16. Likely voters. MoE 4% (8/3-5 results)

Deeds (D) 43 (43)
McDonnell (R) 50 (51)

This is pretty much unchanged, from the toplines (just float within the MoE), to the favorability numbers.