Moran leads McDonnell, according to poll

And the winner is … Brian Moran. OK, so he’s the leader on his way to the first tee.
Moran is the only one of the three candidates for the ’09 Democratic Party gubernatorial nomination who would beat presumptive Republican nominee Bob McDonnell in a head-to-head matchup, according to a poll released today by Rasmussen Reports.

Moran, a Northern Virginia state delegate, would beat McDonnell, the sitting attorney general, in a one-on-one 41 percent to 37 percent, according to Rasmussen. Deeds, a Bath County state senator and the 2005 Democratic Party gubernatorial nominee, and McDonnell run neck-and-neck at 39 percent apiece. McDonnell would beat McAuliffe, a former Democratic National Committee chairman and Clinton confidante, 41 percent to 36 percent.

Of interest is how the three candidates fare among only self-identified Democrats. Deeds wins that tally with 55 percent viewing Deeds favorably. McAulife is second among Dems with a 52 percent favorable rating, with Moran third with a 48 percent favorable rating among Democratic voters.

The party nomination will be decided in a primary in June.

– Story by Chris Graham