Virginia Heads to the Polls

Worth Clicking: Blasts from the past wound Romney

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June 09, 2009

Virginia Heads to the Polls

Virginians will choose the Democratic candidate for governor today. Any registered voter is permitted to vote in today's primary. Polls close at 7 p.m. ET.

The New York Times says the three candidates -- Creigh Deeds (D), Brian Moran (D) and Terry McAuliffe (D) -- "have distinguished themselves more by personality than politics during the fight to continue their party's recent winning streak in this historically conservative state."

CQ Politics notes that at least two independent surveys in the past 48 hours give Deeds the momentum, in part because he's ramped up support in the populous northern Virginia suburbs near Washington, D.C. He also appeals to many independents who can vote in today's primary.

Several voter registrars told The Hotline that they expect light turnout. Current estimates are that about 200,000 voters will come out as compared to about a million who voted in last year's presidential primary. We noted last week that returned absentee ballots as a percentage of applications made were low.

The winner will oppose Robert McDonnell (R) in November.

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Taegan D. Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

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Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

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June 09, 2009