Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 6/15-17 results. Likely voters. MoE 4% (6/1-3 results)
Deeds (D) 44 (34)
McDonnell (R) 45 (46)
Creigh Deeds (D)
Approve 47 (41)
Disapprove 35 (39)
Don't know 18 (20)
Bob McDonnell (R)
Approve 55 (56)
Disapprove 36 (34)
Don't know 9 (10)
Exhibit A why primaries are generally a good thing -- I can't imagine how much it would've cost Deeds, with an uncontested primary, to enjoy a 10-point shift in net favorability and close a 12-point gap overnight against his Republican foe without any scandal or "Macaca"-like development. Nothing like winning an election to get your name out, look like a winner, generate a bandwagon effect, and shoot up in the polls.
Republicans desperately want this race -- they need to show that they're stemming their losses in Virginia after several cycles of big Democratic gains (leading up to Obama's victory there last year). With a victory here, they'd claim their ongoing fall from grace was halted, and that momentum was shifting. Substantively, it would mean little, but who wants to give them the propaganda victory? Or, for that matter, a chance to fuck up yet another state?
On the web: Deeds for Governor
Update: Updated with toplines, which were apparently eaten by the site in an editing glitch.
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