RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – The race for Virginia between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney is now tied, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday.
The poll found the presidential candidates tied at 44-44 percent. In June, the same poll showed President Obama with a 47-42 percent lead over the Republican challenger.
Independent voters slightly favor President Obama 40-38 percent, according to the poll.
“Virginia voters are sharply split along gender and political lines about the presidential race. The two candidates equally hold their own political bases and are splitting the key independent vote down the middle,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “One small edge that President Barack Obama has is likability. Voters have a slightly more favorable opinion of the president than they do Gov. Mitt Romney.”
The poll found neither candidate was particularly popular in Virginia right now.
“Romney has a negative 39 – 42 percent favorability, compared to Obama’s divided 46 – 48 percent. One of them is going to win the White House, but neither would get elected Prom King,” Brown added.
Virginia voters disapprove 51 – 45 percent of the job President Obama is doing and 50 percent said he does not deserves a second term in office
