A poll of voters in Virginia released Wednesday shows President Barack Obama is leading all of the remaining Republican candidates in the Old Dominion state.
Virginia is considered a swing state in the upcoming general election. If the poll is any indication of what will happen in the fall, Mr. Obama will once again win Virginia. The president won Virginia in 2008, despite Virginia previously being considered a Republican state.
However, Virginia maintains its status as a swing state, as evidenced by their election of Republican Governor Bob McDonnell in 2009.
Poll results
The Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday shows Mr. Obama leading all four remaining Republican candidates, with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney finishing the poll as his closest competitor. According to the poll, Mr. Obama leads Mr. Romney 47-43 percent.
The new poll shows the first time during this election cycle that Mr. Obama has taken the lead from Mr. Romney in Virginia. In December, a Quinnipiac poll found Mr. Romney leading Mr. Obama 44-42 percent.
Texas congressman Ron Paul presents the next closest threat to Mr. Obama in Virginia, as the poll found the president leading Mr. Paul 47-40 percent.
Additionally, Mr. Obama leads former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum 49-40 percent, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich 51-37 percent.
The results for Mr. Gingrich are interesting, as he finishes the worst against Mr. Obama in Virginia, the state where he has a home in McLean, VA.
“For the first time since Quinnipiac University began polling Virginia voters on the race, President Barack Obama holds a razor-thin lead over Gov. Mitt Romney,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “The keys are the president’s improved standing among independent voters and women in the Old Dominion.”
The Quinnipiac poll was conducted among 1,544 registered voters in Virginia between February 1st and February 6th with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
Super Tuesday
The poll also provides a preview for the upcoming Virginia Republican primary election. The Virginia primary occurs on Super Tuesday, as it is one of 10 states nationwide hosting its primary election on March 6th.
Mr. Paul and Mr. Romney are the only two candidates that will appear on the Virginia Republican primary ballot this year. If the results are indicative of how Virginians view those two candidates, Mr. Romney should win Virginia on Super Tuesday.
