Republican candidate for Virginia governor Ed Gillespie, stole the lead in October from Democrat Ralph Northam for the first time in the campaign, according to a Monmouth University poll released Tuesday.
The Oct. 12-16 survey found 48 percent of registered voters who are expected to vote in the gubernatorial race next month picked Gillespie and 47 percent selected Northam. The Libertarian candidate, Cliff Hyra, received 3 percent of respondents’ support.
Gillespie saw a 4-point jump since September, while Northam dropped 2 points in that month. Gillespie’s lead is within the margin of error and Northam has been ahead in other polls.
Forty-one percent of voters had a favorable impression of Gillespie while 40 percent said the same of Northam, but Gillespie’s unfavorable rating (37 percent) was higher than his Democratic opponent’s (27 percent).
The telephone poll was conducted with 408 Virginia residents expected to vote in the election and had a 4.9 percentage point margin of error.
NEW POLL: VIRGINIA GOV 2017 (LV)
48% @EdWGillespie (R)
47% @RalphNortham (D)Sept. was 49% Northam – 44% Gillespiehttps://t.co/NNi67Uf7iS pic.twitter.com/Zaoud2x62S
— MonmouthPoll (@MonmouthPoll) October 17, 2017
