Poll Watch: Another poll shows Obama up significantly in Virginia

Story by Chris Graham
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A Public Policy Polling survey released yesterday gives Barack Obama a solid 51 percent-to-43 percent lead over John McCain in Virginia, the third poll of the week that gives the Democrat a solid working lead.

The same poll gave Democrat Mark Warner a commanding 58 percent-to-31 percent margin in his race with Republican Jim Gilmore for Virginia’s open U.S. Senate seat.

The poll shows independent voters breaking sharply for both Obama and Warner – 49 percent to 37 percent for Obama over McCain in the presidential race and 66 percent to 20 percent for Warner in the Senate race.

Another interesting tidbit from the numbers – the favorability/unfavorability ratings for vice-presidential candidates Joe Biden and Sarah Palin have flipped since the Republican National Convention. Palin had been viewed favorably by 42 percent of voters and unfavorably by 40 percent of voters after the RNC; those numbers are now 37 percent and 46 percent, respectively. Biden had been viewed favorably by 38 percent and unfavorably by 27 percent after the RNC; those numbers are now 43 percent and 26 percent.

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The national polls
– Gallup: Obama 51 percent, McCain 41 percent
– GW/Battleground: Obama 51 percent, McCain 43 percent
– Rasmussen: Obama 50 percent, McCain 45 percent
– Hotline: Obama 48 percent, McCain 41 percent
– Reuters: Obama 48 percent, McCain 43 percent
– Fox News: Obama 46 percent, McCain 39 percent

AFP Poll Average: Obama 49 percent, McCain 41.8 percent