So Rasmussen has McAuliffe leading Cuccinelli by 17 points in their most recent poll

[cali]

but Cooch has Santorum and Ryan riding to his rescue!

Democrat Terry McAuliffe has jumped to a 17-point lead over Republican Ken Cuccinelli in the Virginia gubernatorial race following the federal government shutdown that hit Northern Virginia hard and Hillary Clinton’s weekend visit to the state.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Virginia Voters finds McAuliffe with 50% support to Cuccinelli’s 33%. Libertarian candidate Robert Sarvis is a distant third with eight percent (8%) of the vote. Three percent (3%) like some other candidate, while five percent (5%) remain undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

<snip>
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2013/virginia/election_2013_virginia_governor

[factsarenotfair]

1. 5% are undecided.

It's a good thing Obamacare includes mental health treatment!

[joeybee12]

4. More than 5% need that kind of treatment...

The whole 33% supporiting Cuccinelli do!

[factsarenotfair]

8. For sure!

[last1standing]

2. This could be an outlier but more likely due to the shutdown.

Northern VA is largely made up of government workers and businesses that are supported by them. I'm sure the shutdown had reverberations that were felt by the entire state - even moreso than most others.

Too bad it had to be McAuliffe who benefits from this event, but maybe he's about as 'liberal' as VA is willing to go right now.

[cali]

5. I keep repeating this in threads about this election

The Magistrate told me there was an old campaign bumper sticker for Edwin Edwards that read:

"Vote for the Crook, not the Kook. It's important".

[last1standing]

7. "The Crook, not the Kook."

It does seem like those are the choices and the Magistrate is right, the crook at least knows there are limits to what the people can take. The kook doesn't.

[FSogol]

10. Why keep repeating that? Cuccinelli is under Federal investigation

for the Star Scientific corruption. McAuliffe is not.

The kook is the crook in this case.

[William769]

3. Only 17 points?

We need to fix that & double it!

[Bandit]

12. This IS from a right leaning polling firm...

I think the Democrat will cruise to victory....

[CK_John]

6. This is too high, more likely an effort to get Dem's to stay home.

[FSogol]

11. Possibly. VA still needs to GOTV.

[Nye Bevan]

9. Tony Soprano's take on "Senator Sanitorium":

[countingbluecars]

13. I think this election will be

closer than the polls indicate. If signage is any indication, Cuccinelli seems very popular in Loudoun County in Northern Va. I'm a little nervous. The fundies and rightwingers always come out to vote.