Quinnipiac poll: Northam leads in Virginia governor race

Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam holds a 44-38 percent lead over Republican Ed Gillespie in the Virginia governor’s race, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

Libertarian Party candidate Cliff Hyra is at 4 percent.

Northam had a 47-39 percent lead over Gillespie in a June 21 survey by the independent Quinnipiac University. This earlier survey did not include a third party candidate.

Independent voters back Gillespie 39-30 percent, with 8 percent for Hyra. Democrats back Northam 89-5 percent, with 1 percent for Hyra, as Republicans back Gillespie 89-1 percent, with 3 percent for Hyra.

Northam leads 51-33 percent among women, 48-39 percent among white college educated voters and 56-21 percent among non-white voters. Gillespie leads 44-35 percent among men, 54-28 percent among white voters with no college degree and 47-38 percent among all white voters.

“The Virginia governor’s race leans toward Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, but not overly so. With three months until Election Day, the race remains competitive,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

Virginia voters give Northam a 35-18 percent favorability rating, with 45 percent who haven’t heard enough about him to form an opinion of him. Gillespie gets a 38-27 percent favorability rating, with 34 percent who haven’t heard enough to form an opinion. For Hyra, 87 percent haven’t heard enough to form an opinion.

More data points

• Virginia voters disapprove 61-36 percent of the job President Donald Trump is doing. Republicans approve 82-14 percent and white voters with no college degree approve 56-42 percent. Every other party, gender, education, age and racial group disapproves.
• Voters approve 51-35 percent of the job Gov. Terry McAuliffe is doing, up from 47-37 percent June 21.
• U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine gets a 54-38 percent approval rating and Virginia voters say 50-40 percent that he deserves to be re-elected.
• U.S. Sen. Mark Warner gets a 59-30 percent job approval rating.
• Voters say 49-38 percent that they would like to see the Democrats in control of the General Assembly. Independent voters are divided 38-38 percent on who should control. All 100 seats in the House of Delegates will be on ballots in Virginia in the November elections. State Senate seats don’t go up for re-election again until 2019.