Revelations about Republican gubernatorial candidate Robert F. McDonnell's graduate school thesis sparked a sharp debate between the two campaigns, as the candidates strive to sway an electorate yet to tune into their upcoming ballot-box choice according to the most recent Washington Post poll.
McDonnell held a lead over his Democratic opponent R. Creigh Deeds in that poll, but a majority of voters said they had yet to make up their minds about the race. Regarding McDonnell himself, more than six in 10 said they knew little or nothing about his qualifications to be governor.
Ahead of coverage of the thesis, McDonnell faced a steeper climb among women than men, particularly moderate women, whose reactions to the thesis will be closely watched in the coming weeks. In the Post poll, Deeds fared better among women than he did among men, even notching a narrow majority of moderate women who said they were certain to cast a ballot this November.
And women were less likely than men to have formed firm opinions of the Republican nominee. More than three in 10 (31 percent of women and 36 percent of moderate women) said they weren't sure where McDonnell fell ideologically, compared with about two in 10 men and moderate men. All told, six in 10 moderate women in the poll were "movable voters," or those who have yet to commit to one candidate.
Through the August Post poll, Deeds' strategy of portraying McDonnell as out of the mainstream on social issues had failed to make a dent, with more saying Deeds was too liberal (32 percent) than McDonnell too conservative (27 percent). But among women, the figures were about equal (28 percent said McDonnell is too conservative, 29 percent said Deeds is too liberal). Watch that balance in the weeks to come.
Q. If the election were being held today and the candidates were Creigh Deeds, the Democrat and Bob McDonnell, the Republican, for whom would you vote?
Among registered voters:
Other Wouldn't No
Deeds McDonnell (vol.) vote (vol.) opinion
All 40 47 1 3 9
Men 36 51 2 3 8
Women 45 42 * 3 10
Among moderates:
All 45 39 1 3 12
Men 42 41 2 4 11
Women 48 36 1 2 14
Among likely voters:
Other Wouldn't No
Deeds McDonnell (vol.) vote (vol.) opinion
All 39 54 1 * 7
Men 35 57 1 * 8
Women 42 52 * * 6
Among moderates:
All 48 43 2 1 7
Men 45 43 2 1 8
Women 51 42 1 0 5
Q. Do you think ... views on most issues are too liberal for you, too conservative for you, or just about right?
McDonnell's:
Too Too Just about No
liberal conservative right opinion
All 9 27 38 26
Men 10 26 43 21
Women 7 28 34 31
Among moderates:
All 7 30 35 28
Men 7 30 43 19
Women 7 30 27 36
Deeds':
Too Too Just about No
liberal conservative right opinion
All 32 7 39 22
Men 34 7 41 18
Women 29 6 38 26
Among moderates:
All 23 6 49 22
Men 27 7 53 13
Women 20 5 46 30
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