Spanberger holds double-digit lead over Earle-Sears in early Virginia poll

Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) holds an early double-digit lead over Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) ahead of Virginia’s gubernatorial race in November, according to a poll released Tuesday.

Thirty-nine percent of registered voters surveyed in a Roanoke College survey said they backed Spanberger for governor, while 24 percent said they supported Earle-Sears; 4 percent said they would vote for someone else. 

But in an indication of how much could change ahead of November’s election, 32 percent of registered voters said they were still undecided.

A previous poll from Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy released in January showed Earle-Sears trailing Spanberger by a more narrow margin, 47 percent to 44 percent, with 9 percent in that poll saying they were undecided. 

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up. 

Spanberger and Earle-Sears still need to go through their respective parties’ primaries, but are considered the leading Democratic and Republican contenders.

Former Virginia Del. Dave LaRock (R) is said to be mounting a primary challenge to Earle-Sears, while Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) has been floated as a potential Democratic contender. There is no indication that Scott has decided to enter the race, however.

The Roanoke College poll was conducted Feb. 17-20 among 690 Virginia residents. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.66 percent.