Washington Post Virginia Governor's Poll:
Candidates Running Neck-and-Neck

Below is the complete poll, including both the questions pollsters asked the respondents and the survey results. (Note: * indicates a response percentage of less than 0.5.)

1. Some people have busier schedules than others. Because of this, some people who plan to vote can't always get around to it on election day. With your own personal daily schedule in mind, I'd like you to rate the chances that you will vote in the state general election in November:

• Are you absolutely certain to vote?
  
• Will you probably vote?
  
• Are the chances about 50-50?
  
• Less than 50-50?
  
• Or don't you think you will vote in that election?

2. As you may know, the candidates in November's election for governor include: James S. Gilmore, the Republican, and Donald S. Beyer, the Democrat. Suppose the election were held today. For whom would you vote?

3. Which one are you leaning toward right now?

4. Would you call yourself a strong supporter of (candidate choice) or not a strong supporter?

5. Will you definitely vote for (candidate choice) or do you think there is at least a chance that you'll change your mind by election day?

6. How interested are you in the governor's race?

• Very interested
  
• Fairly interested
  
• Not too interested
  
• Not interested at all
  

7. As you may know, the candidates in November's election for lieutenant governor include: John Hager, the Republican, and L.F. Payne, the Democrat. Suppose the election were held today. For whom would you vote?

8. Which one are you leaning toward right now? (Note: Pollsters read the survey respondents the names as choices.)

9. As you may know, the candidates in November's election for attorney general include: Mark Earley, the Republican, and William Dolan, the Democrat. Suppose the election were held today. For whom would you vote?

10. Which one are you leaning toward right now?

11. Considering everything, do you have a favorable or an unfavorable impression of: (Note: Pollsters read the survey respondents the following names):

12. Do you approve or disapprove of the way that George F. Allen is handling his job as governor?

13. Generally speaking, how would you rate the overall economy of Virginia:

• Excellent
  
• Good
  
• Not so good
  
• Poor
  

14. Are you better off or worse off financially now than you were four years ago?

15. How much of the time do you think you can trust the (read item) to do what is right: just about always, most of the time or only some of the time?

16. Out of every dollar the state of Virginia collects in taxes, how many cents do you think are wasted?

17. What is the biggest problem facing Virginia today -- the one you would like the next governor of Virginia to work hardest to solve?

18. Please tell me how important the following issues are in deciding how you'll vote for governor this year. Is the issue of (read items) the single most important issue in determining your vote, one of several important issues but not the most important, or not an important issue to you?

19. Generally speaking, do you think it should be made easier or harder for a woman to obtain a legal abortion?

20. Is the abortion issue:

• The single most important issue in determining your vote for governor?
  
• One of several important issues, but not the most important?
  
• Not an important issue to you?
  

21. Do you think the federal government should be doing more or less to control the sale and use of tobacco products, or don't you think the government should be involved in regulating tobacco?

22. Is the tobacco issue:

• The single most important issue in determining your vote for governor?
  
• One of several important issues, but not the most important?
  
• Not an important issue to you?
  

23. (Of those who named more than one or none:) You've mentioned the following issues as important to you (read items). Of all of these issues, which is the single most important one to you in determining your vote?

24. Which of the following statements comes closest to your own views:

A. We need a governor who can get the state going in a new direction.
B. We need a governor who can keep the state moving in the same direction we're going.

25. (Of whose who say they need a governor who can get the state going in a new direction:) Does that mean you favor major changes in the way the state is heading or only minor changes?

26. Do you think that the campaign for governor has been mainly about the issues that you really care about, or not?

27. Do you think the candidates for governor have offered new ideas about how to solve the state of Virginia's biggest problems, or do you think the candidates haven't had any new ideas?

Now I'm going to read to you some statements people sometimes make about political candidates, and for each, I want you to tell me whether that statement describes the candidate whose name I mention very well, fairly well, not too well or not well at all? The first statement is: (read items): Does that phrase apply very well, fairly well, not too well or not well at all to Don Beyer? Does it apply very well, fairly well, not too well or not well at all to James Gilmore?

a. He has the right qualifications to be governor.

b. He would hold taxes down.

c. He would look out for the interests of people like me.

d. He would keep the state's economy strong.

e. He has high moral character.

f. He would improve public education.

g. He is an inspiring leader.

h. He would protect the environment.

i. He would look out for the interests of my part of the state.

j. He would be good for business.

k. He is neither too liberal nor too conservative.

29. I'm now going to mention two plans that have been suggested for cutting taxes in Virginia. (Read items.)

One plan would cut the state personal property tax on cars and trucks on the first $20,000 of assessed value. The tax cut would be phased in over five years and would cut state tax revenue by a total of between $1.6 billion and $3 billion. Do you favor or oppose this plan?

30. How about (read item)?

Another . . . plan would give an income tax credit toward the personal property tax to families earning less than $75,000 a year and to individuals earning less than $40,000 a year. The tax credit would be worth up to $250 to families and up to $150 to individuals. The tax credit would take effect immediately and would cut state revenue by a total of $1 billion. Do you favor or oppose this plan?

31. (Of those who favored both plans:) Of the two plans that I've mentioned, which do you most strongly support?

Plan 1 would cut the state personal property tax on cars and trucks on the first $20,000 of assessed value. The tax cut would be phased in over five years, and would cut state tax revenue by a total of between $1.6 billion and $3 billion.

Plan 2 would give an income tax credit toward the personal property tax to families earning less than $75,000 a year and to individuals earning less than $40,000 a year. The tax credit would be worth up to $250 to families and up to $150 to individuals. The tax credit would take effect immediately and would cut state revenue by a total of $1 billion.

32. Which view comes closest to the way you feel:

Statement A. The state property tax can be cut without also having to cut spending on important state programs and services such as education, public safety, transportation and road construction, OR
Statement B. A cut in the state property tax would inevitably mean that spending on important state programs also would have to be cut.

33. Which would you prefer to see: A cut in the state personal property tax or: (read items)

34. Do you favor or oppose state college affirmative action programs that include race as a factor that schools may use in deciding which students to admit?

35. Do you happen to know if either of the candidates for governor opposes this type of affirmative action program? Which one?

36. Do you favor or oppose making it illegal for a woman to obtain an abortion after the first three months of a pregnancy, even if the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest?

37. Do you happen to know if either of the candidates for governor favors prohibiting abortions after the first three months of pregnancy? Which one?

38. Do you favor or oppose the federal government regulating nicotine, the active ingredient in tobacco, as a drug?

39. Do you happen to know if either of the candidates for governor opposes federal regulation of nicotine as a drug? Which one?

40. Do you favor or oppose letting school districts decide whether to let parents use state money in the form of vouchers to help pay to send their child to private school?

41. Do you happen to know if either of the candidates for governor favors a school voucher plan? Which one?

42. Suppose that former Gov. Douglas Wilder endorses a candidate for governor. Would that make you more likely or less likely to vote for that candidate?

43. In Virginia, do you think that conservative, politically active Evangelical or Born-Again Christians -- sometimes called members of the Religious Right -- have too much influence, too little influence or about the right amount of influence in state politics?

44. In Virginia, do you think that Northern Virginia -- that is, the Virginia counties near Washington, D.C. -- has too much influence, too little influence or about the right amount of influence in state politics, compared to other areas of the state?

45. In your opinion, does money have too much, too little or about the right amount of influence in who wins elections for state offices?

46. Would you favor or oppose limits on how much individuals and organizations may contribute to political campaigns for state offices in Virginia?

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