Washington Post Virginia Gubernatorial Survey

(IF REGISTERED VOTER) If the election were being held today and the candidates were Creigh Deeds, the Democrat and Bob McDonnell, the Republican, for whom would you vote?

• Bob McDonnell 47%
• Creigh Deeds 40%

Among Likely Voters

• Bob McDonnell 54%
• Creigh Deeds 39%

(IF REGISTERED VOTER) Regardless of how you may vote, whom do you trust to do a better job handling the economy and jobs – Deeds or McDonnell?

• Bob McDonnell 40%
• Creigh Deeds 38%

(IF REGISTERED VOTER) Regardless of how you may vote, whom do you trust to do a better job handling taxes – Deeds or McDonnell?

• Bob McDonnell 42%
• Creigh Deeds 35%

(IF REGISTERED VOTER) Regardless of how you may vote, whom do you trust to do a better job handling gun control – Deeds or McDonnell?

• Bob McDonnell 38%
• Creigh Deeds 31%

(IF REGISTERED VOTER) Regardless of how you may vote, whom do you trust to do a better job handling transportation issues – Deeds or McDonnell?

• Creigh Deeds 35%
• Bob McDonnell 34%

(IF REGISTERED VOTER) Regardless of how you may vote, whom do you trust to do a better job handling the abortion issue – Deeds or McDonnell?

• Creigh Deeds 34%
• Bob McDonnell 34%

(IF REGISTERED VOTER) Do you think abortion should be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases or illegal in all cases?

• Legal in all cases 17%
• Legal in most cases 38%
• Illegal in most cases 26%
• Illegal in all cases 15%

(IF REGISTERED VOTER) As you may know, President Obama has endorsed Creigh Deeds for governor. Does that make you more likely or less likely to support Deeds?

• More likely 34%
• Less likely 34%
• No difference 30%

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Tim Kaine is handling his job as governor?

• Approve 56%
• Disapprove 36%

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mark Warner is handling his job as senator?

• Approve 67%
• Disapprove 23%

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Jim Webb is handling his job as senator?

• Approve 51%
• Disapprove 29%

(IF REGISTERED VOTER) Would you say you are following this year’s governors race in the state of Virginia very closely, fairly closely, not too closely, or not closely at all?

• Very closely 17%
• Fairly closely 32%
• Not too closely 30%
• Not closely at all 21%

(IF REGISTERED VOTER) I’d like you to rate the chances that you will vote in the governor’s election: Are you absolutely certain to vote, will you probably vote, are the chances 50-50, or less than that?

• Absolutely certain to vote 61%
• Will probably vote 16%
• Chances are 50/50 13%
• Chances less than 50/50 7%

(IF REGISTERED VOTER) As it stands now, how much do you know about (CANDIDATE) and his qualifications to be governor: Do you know a lot about (CANDIDATE), a fair amount, just a little, or nothing at all?

Creigh Deeds

• A lot 6%
• Fair amount 31%
• Just a little 39%
• Nothing at all 23%

Bob McDonnell

• A lot 7%
• Fair amount 30%
• Just a little 38%
• Nothing at all 25%

(IF NAMED CANDIDATE) Will you definitely vote for (CANDIDATE) in November, or is there a chance you could change your mind and vote for someone else?

Creigh Deeds

• Definitely vote 61%
• Change mind 35%

Bob McDonnell

• Definitely vote 50%
• Change mind 46%

(IF REGISTERED VOTER) Do you think Creigh Deeds’ views on most issues are too liberal for you, too conservative for you, or just about right?

• Too liberal 32%
• Too conservative 7%
• Just about right 39%

(IF REGISTERED VOTER) Do you think Bob McDonnell’s views on most issues are too liberal for you, too conservative for you, or just about right?

• Too liberal 9%
• Too conservative 27%
• Just about right 38%

Survey of 1,002 adults, including an undisclosed subsample of registered and likely voters, was conducted August 11-14. The margin of error among adults is +/- 3 percentage points. Party ID breakdown among likely voters: 34% (R); 34% (I); 27% (D). Party ID breakdown among registered voters: 35% (I); 31% (D); 29% (R). Political views among likely voters: 41% Conservative; 37% Moderate; 20% Liberal. Political views among registered voters: 42% Moderate; 35% Conservative; 21% Liberal.