New polling pegs a potential U.S. Senate contest between former Govs. George Allen and Timothy M. Kaine as a dead heat.
The first survey by Public Policy Polling since Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., announced that he won’t seek re-election shows Allen, a Republican, and Kaine, a Democrat, tied at 47 percent with 6 percent undecided.
Kaine, who has said he will make a decision on whether to run for the seat early this month, registers a higher favorability rating than Allen, with 46 percent to Allen’s 39 percent.
46-39 doesn’t quite seem like a dead heat to me, but you know those polls. Yea/Nay depending on who you like. Let’s take a look at some other variables. Kaine might not want to run. He was sitting back minding his own business being DNC chair, when Webb announced he was retiring after one term. What other Democrats could step up to the plate? There is always former Rep. Rich Boucher. How about former Rep. Tom Perriello? Both of these men were knocked out of office at midterms.
…[T]he poll showed Allen beating two other Democrats mentioned as a possibility. Allen bests former Rep. Rick Boucher, 47-42, and former Rep. Tom Perriello, 48-41, in the survey. Boucher and Perriello were casualties of a Republican surge in the November midterms.
How about Republican contenders who might oust Allen in a primary or convention? Both Jaime Radthke and Delegate Bob Marshall’s names have been mentioned.
