From a distance

As you can tell from the photo, I'm watching the closing week of the campaign from a distance. No, not vacationing although the location is certainly famous for that and many other things. Actually, the 8:00 - 5:00 days are all work, grading AP exams for ETS. But the evenings are fine. Missed a photo opportunity this evening as the jumbo jet with the shuttle riding piggyback cruised at low altitude right down the coast. 

Even while I'm in the state that Bushwhacked us, I'm keeping a close eye online and on my inbox for news about Virginia's Democratic primary. Today's big news came from Public Policy Polling - new numbers are in that show Creigh Deeds pulling ahead in the last weeks of the campaign. According to the poll Creigh Deeds is at 27%, followed by Terry McAuliffe at 24%, and Brian Moran at 22%. The previous poll had McAuliffe at 29% while Deeds and Moran were trailing at 20% each.

Now this is certainly great news, but with six days to go, it is still a jump ball. For one thing, the poll's MoE is ±4.1%. For another thing, there are still a lot of undecideds. 

The poll cites a couple of developments - notably the Washington Post's endorsement of Creigh Deeds and a decline in McAuliffe's support in regions where Moran has run ads attacking him. 

Now the poll doesn't say this, but from where I roost, I'd say there is another factor at play - Democrats are coming back to the Virginia flock. Democrats know Creigh Deeds. He is one of them and has carried the party banner through lean years and the recent blue years. He's steady. He is true blue. At the end of the day, Democrats want a candidate who will be a winner in November and that candidate is Creigh Deeds. One opponent hasn't quite made the sale. The other talks big but we know he is a roll of the dice, and Virginians aren't big on gambling.

The poll also found Jody Wagner leading Mike Signer 27% to 11%. Lots of undecideds there too!

With the race so close, and the future of the Democratic Party and Virginia at stake, it is critical to get out the Deeds vote. Since I've flown the coop, I've already cast my vote for Creigh and Jody and have been reminding family and friends to make voting a priority on June 9. That's your job too - be sure you vote and get others to do the same. If Virginia Democrats turn out, Creigh Deeds will be our nominee and Bob McDonnell will be worried... very worried.