Kaine surge? Two polls give Democrat biggest lead of campaign cycle

Two new polls of Virginia voters give Democrat Tim Kaine the biggest lead of the 2012 campaign cycle over Republican rival George Allen.

A Fox News poll released on Wednesday has Kaine at 47 percent and Allen at 43 percent. A CBS/New York Times/Quinnipiac poll released on Wednesday, meanwhile, has Kaine at 51 percent and Allen at 43 percent.

The Fox poll also had incumbent President Barack Obama, a Democrat, leading Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney by a 50 percent-43 percent margin. The CBS/New York Times/Quinnipiac poll had Obama head of Romney by a 50 percent-46 percent margin.

A key to the lead for Kaine over Allen in the Senate race is his improved standing among independent voters. The Fox poll had Kaine ahead among independents by a 44 percent-41 percent margin, and the CBS/New York Times/Quinnipiac poll had the two at a 46 percent-46 percent tie. In both polls, Kaine runs ahead of Obama among independent voters. Obama and Romney were tied at 43 percent among independent voters in the Fox poll and trails Romney 53 percent-42 percent in the CBS/New York Times/Quinnipiac poll.

More from the Fox News poll: Click here.

More from the CBS/New York Times/Quinnipiac poll: Click here.