A new survey of Virginia voters puts President Barack Obama in a dead heat against Republican candidates Mitt Romney and Herman Cain headed into the 2012 election.
In 2008, Obama became the first Democratic presidential nominee to win the state in 44 years. But the new
Quinnipiac University poll of 1,459 registered voters taken Oct. 3-9 shows that either Romney or Cain would be in position to beat Obama if the election were held today.
In head-to-head matchups, Romney edged Obama by 45 percent to 44 percent, and Obama squeaked by Cain 45 percent to 43 percent.
When asked which GOP candidate they support, voters who identified themselves as Republicans were evenly split between Romney and Cain.
Each drew 21 percent, while Texas Gov. Rick Perry — who just a month ago was a favorite among Virginia Republicans — fell to a distant third with only 11 percent support.
Overall, 70 percent of Virginians surveyed said they still like Obama personally, but 55 percent said he does not deserve to be re-elected based on his job performance and administration policies.
The Quinnipiac poll also revealed a tossup in the other big Virginia race for 2012 — the fight between former governors George Allen and Timothy Kaine for the seat of retiring Democratic Sen. Jim Webb.
At the moment, Democrat Kaine has a razor thin 45 percent to 44 percent lead over Republican Allen.
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