Allen and Webb in Virtual Tie, Post Poll Says

But there are serious doubts about Allen in the poll. The percentage of voters who say they don't like Allen has increased dramatically from a year ago, and 43 percent now say they have an unfavorable opinion of him. By a large margin, independent voters sided with Allen six years ago when he ousted Democratic Sen. Charles S. Robb; this year, he's essentially tied with Webb among that group. And nearly one in five polled say they feel Allen was being intentionally racist when he called an Indian American supporter of Webb "macaca." An additional 44 percent view the comment as racist but say they don't think Allen intended it that way.

Dueling Controversies

Allen's remarks might have as much as anything to do with why the race is so close.

His macaca comment caused a national controversy -- the film clips a staple on Youtube.com and his changing explanations a gift to late-night comedians. It was followed by articles charging that as a University of Virginia student in the 1970s, Allen regularly used a racial epithet to describe blacks. Allen denies that.

And he stumbled when answering questions about his previously unacknowledged Jewish ancestry.

Allen responded by putting Webb on the defensive about a 1979 article Webb wrote condemning the idea of women in combat and at the Naval Academy. Webb apologized for the inflammatory language he had used, such as calling the overwhelmingly male dormitory at the academy a "horny woman's dream," but Allen has spent more than $1 million on ads spotlighting the issue because he said it shows a disrespect for women.

It is unclear from the poll how much those so-called character issues will affect the campaign -- 17 percent say Webb's comments are important to their vote, as opposed to 25 percent who say they feel the same way about Allen's remarks -- but they have given the race a nasty tone.

"I didn't like the way the race has sort of turned to all of these sort of negative things," said Vicki Merkel, 52, a teacher from Vienna who says she will vote for Allen. "Why do people say those things? And why are we digging way into the 1970s anyhow?"

She is among the 64 percent of those polled who say the campaign has been too negative, but voters are split almost evenly about who is to blame. Allen's supporters say the media have been tougher on their candidate, and overall, 36 percent of the respondents say the media have treated Allen unfairly, compared with 19 percent who say the same about Webb.

A Plunge in Popularity

Allen was once one of the commonwealth's most popular politicians. But now Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) and the state's senior senator, John W. Warner (R), have much better favorability ratings, as does former governor Mark R. Warner (D).

Allen's favorable rating in Post polls of likely voters has plunged from 63 percent last fall to 53 percent today, and his unfavorable numbers have increased from 31 percent to 43 percent. Fifty-three percent of those polled have a favorable opinion of Webb; 37 percent have an unfavorable opinion And although Allen refuses to promise he would serve out his six-year term instead of trying for the presidency in 2008, the poll shows Virginians are opposed to the idea.

By a margin of 56 percent to 35 percent, poll respondents say they don't think Allen would make a good president, including 20 percent of those who say they will vote for his reelection.

But Allen's supporters appear loyal in other ways. Although Republicans nationally worry that their base might be turned off, 43 percent of Allen's voters say they are "very" enthusiastic about his Senate campaign, as opposed to 25 percent of Webb's.