Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney is the clear favorite in Virginia, though Texas Gov. Rick Perry would fare nearly as well in a hypothetical head-to-head with President Obama.
A new survey from Christopher Newport University and the Richmond Times- Dispatch shows Romney is Virginia’s first choice among Republican candidates with an overwhelming 48 percent of the vote. His support is significantly greater than in a recent Quinnipiac University poll that showed Romney tied with businessman Herman Cain.
Just under 12 percent of registered voters surveyed said Cain is their first choice for president, second in the field. Perry came third at 10 percent.
Still, Perry ties Obama in a hypothetical election at about 43 percent each. Romney tops Obama 46 to 42, just outside the poll’s 3.1 percent margin of error. A similar question including Cain was not posed to voters.
The Washington Post is reporting Romney will be in the state next Tuesday and Wednesday for a fundraiser and campaign events.
Outside of the presidential race, the poll found that the presumptive U.S. Senate candidates – Republican George Allen and Democrat Tim Kaine, both former governors – have nearly identical favorability ratings.
In a sign of voter fatigue that often plagues Virginia’s off-year races, 70 percent of those polled said they care little or don’t care at all about the Nov. 8 local and state elections.
Democrats are fighting to maintain control of the state Senate, the last seat of influence they still occupy in the statehouse. If Republicans win just two Senate seats next month, Gov. Bob McDonnell will be able to push his agenda virtually unchecked.
