Poll shows Kerry ahead of the pack across Va.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Strong support across the state, particularly among blacks, has given Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry a clear edge over his two principal rivals as Virginia’s Democratic presidential primary campaign enters its final days, according to a new poll. North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, a fast closer in states voting earlier, is within striking distance of Kerry, according to the survey by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. Retired Gen. Wesley Clark also remains a factor in the contest, the poll shows. The telephone survey of 625 “likely voters” was conducted on Wednesday and Thursday nights for The Virginian-Pilot and other news organizations. Kerry was the choice of 34 percent of those polled; Edwards had 25 percent and Clark 14 percent.

Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, had 8 percent; civil rights activist Al Sharpton, 5 percent; and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, with 1 percent, trailed badly. Sharpton’s support among blacks, at 21 percent, was second only to Kerry’s 31 percent, however. The survey had a statistical margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. That means that the Kerry-Edwards split could be as large as 38-21 or as small as 30-29.

<snip>

Clark was trailing Kerry by at least 12 percentage points in every region. The retired general’s campaign reportedly spent more than $500,000 on television commercials in the state during January but the poll results suggest he got little from the investment.

Larry Framme, a former state Democratic chairman leading Kerry’s Virginia campaign, said the results are encouraging “but only enough for me to put my head down further and barrel harder” toward Tuesday’s voting.

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=65846&ran=221109

[JohnKleeb]

1. I say it comes down to Kerry and Edwards and maybe Clark here

Not sure honest. I havent seen anybody with Kerry stickers or anything, seen a few Dean people, a few Kucinich, and a few Clark but I dont get out much being I dont drive.

[DjTj]

2. I'm giving everything I can to Edwards down here...

...I hit Roanoke on Thursday, Wytheville on Friday, doing Richmond on Saturday, and I'll be in NoVa on Monday...

I know we can do this...

[Nay]

3. I am voting here for Clark, and my hubby is voting for Kucinich, so

there are two VA votes not going to Kerry. I just HATE the way everyone acts like it's sewn up already, so they go and vote like sheep for the guy out in front, as if they are betting on a damn horse race. I swear, I'm gonna throw in the towel after this election. I am way past disgusted.

[AP]

5. They're going to Kerry if they're going to Clark and Kucinich. You're just

helping Kerry win by not voting for Edwards.

[AP]

4. Anyone not supporting Kerry is crazy to vote for anyone other than Edwards

in VA.

If Edwards beats Kerry, Clark is still alive. If Kerry wings VA because the vote for someone else is divided, Kerry will just get stronger, and more people will jump on the bandwagon.

[JohnKleeb]

6. My dad happens to be divided by these two heh

Kerry and Edwards both. He likes them both.

[arewethereyet]

7. having seen them I can understand this point

"Clark was trailing Kerry by at least 12 percentage points in every region. The retired general’s campaign reportedly spent more than $500,000 on television commercials in the state during January but the poll results suggest he got little from the investment. "

The ads were terrible. One in particular had him referencing Iraq as a "mess" that he would "get us out of". He may not have realized that a number of Virginians are working that "mess" and their family and friends think they're doing a heck of a job at.