2008 Virginia Polls: For McCain, Obama, it's Too Close to Call

Virginia, formerly a reliable Republican state, is running on a movement of voting for Democrats over the past few years since the election of Mark Warner (D) as its governor in 2002. After Warner, we elected Tim Kaine (D) for a second Democratic control of the Governorship. Coincidentally, it has been rumored that both men are possible vice presidential candidates for presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama.

According to the most recent polling on June 18, 2008, completed by Public Policy Polling, Senator Obama has a 2% lead over Senator McCain: 47 to 45 respectively. However, with the undecided vote of 8% and a margin of error +/- 3.3% or greater, Obama has not yet locked the vote for Virginia.

People around Virginia have said that Obama will have quite a following among the African-American population in the state. A lot of people seem to forget that some Virginians still have an old mentality with prejudice towards African-Americans. It is sad but true. While the polls list a 3.3% margin of error there is absolutely no way to gauge how many people will not vote for Obama because of his race. Some will go out in public spouting their pro-Obama views to save face, but at the dinner table you can see a different side to their personality. There are people in the state, quite possibly a lot of people, who simply are not ready to vote for an African-American president. Which of the two sides has more force will not be known until November 4, 2008.

On the other side of the aisle we have Senator McCain, who formerly led Virginia against both Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton. According to The Washington Post Republican nominee John McCain recently opened a headquarters in Virginia on May 20, 2008. Quite obviously a move to stave off the Democratic trend will it be enough? Virginia has turned into an almost definitive swing state and neither party will simply give up the 13 electoral votes the state holds.

Candidates aside it is quite hard to say what the most important issues to Virginians are as political views continue to widen. However, the recent round of the economic stimulus plan seems to have turned opinion around Bush and the Grand Old Party around a wee bit. Blue and white collar workers around the state all seemed very pleased to be receiving checks, but is it enough to overcome the distaste a lot of us feel for President Bush? Virginia is such a swing state at the moment there is absolutely no way to tell which way the chips will fall; regardless, Virginians are excited to be making such an impact on the 2008 Presidential election as we have not such a chance in a long, long time.