TIMES-DISPATCH: Race for governor (Interesting poll numbers)

[rogue emissary]

BY JEFF E. SCHAPIRO
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Sunday, July 24, 2005

The race for Virginia governor is a tossup, according to The Times-Dispatch Poll.

Lt. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has a statistically insignificant lead over former Attorney General Jerry W. Kilgore, according to the survey, which shows Kaine is helped by the broad popularity of the fellow Democrat he hopes to succeed, Gov. Mark R. Warner.

The poll also suggests Republican Kilgore is losing GOP and independent votes to state Sen. H. Russell Potts Jr., a Republican state senator running for governor as an independent.

Kaine had 38 percent to 37 percent for Kilgore. Potts was favored by 9 percent. Sixteen percent were undecided.

Because Kaine's advantage is within the poll's margin of error -- plus or minus 4 percentage points -- the contest with Kilgore could be considered a dead heat. . .

The poll was conducted Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday -- on the heels of the first Kaine-Kilgore debate, on July 16, and is based on phone interviews with 625 registered voters likely to cast ballots in November. . .

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle=MGArticle=1031784027392=%21news%21politics=1045855935264

It's still early, but I thought everyone could use some good news. Quick questions do they normally use such a small sampling i.e. 625 and how accurate has Mason-Dixon polls been?