NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Donald Trump has closed the gap with Hillary Clinton among Virginia voters, a newly released Wason Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University survey found.
Clinton held a 12-point lead in the same survey last week.
This week, the lead was down to seven points (46 - 39) among likely Virginia voters.
"True to form for the past several statewide elections in Virginia, Republican voters appear to be coming home late, but coming home," Dr. Quentin Kidd, Director of the Wason Center, said. "That’s good news for Trump, and especially good news for the Republican candidates down-ballot."
Republican women appear to be one group helping to improve Trump's numbers in Virginia.
While the survey found Clinton was leading among women 46 - 36 percent, the 10-point gender gap has dropped from what was once a 20-point gap.
"Republican women who were holding back or even considering a vote for Clinton, appear to be making peace with Trump as the reality of a Clinton win sinks in," Dr. Rachel Bitecofer, Assistant Director of the Wason Center, said. "That would explain the surge in women saying they will vote for Trump and the way the party loyalty gap has closed."
The survey also showed while 87 percent of Democrats supported Clinton, 84 percent of Republican supported Trump. Previous surveys showed Trump with much lower support (72 percent) from his party.
"Independents continue to favor Clinton, 46 percent to 39 percent, although Trump gained ground with that group of voters, too," a Wasson Center spokesperson said. "Libertarian Gary Johnson has seen his support among Independents decline steadily and dramatically, as voters leave third-party choices and return to the major party candidates."
This survey was conducted Oct. 23-26 among 814 likely Virginia voters. It has an overall margin of error of +/- 4.2%.
