Fifth District: Poll has Perriello within single digits

Story by Chris Graham
[email protected]

Democrat Tom Perriello has cut a 25-point deficit to Republican incumbent Virgil Goode to single digits in a new poll.

The Benenson Strategy Group poll, conducted Oct. 7-9 and released today, has Perriello trailing Goode by a 48 percent-to-40 percent margin.

A July poll conducted by Benenson had Perriello trailing Goode by a 56 percent-to-31 percent gap.

The key to the improvement, according to analysis from Benenson: Perriello’s name recognition improved from a July figure of 29 percent to 73 percent in this week’s polling.