McDonnell still leads; Deeds gets more Obama help

WASHINGTON - With the final days of campaigning underway in the Virginia governor's race, Republican Bob McDonnell hopes to hold on a lead that polls show he has, while Democrat Creigh Deeds hopes a letter from the president will bring out young voters.

More than 330,000 Virginians will get the letter from President Barack Obama over the next few days.

George Mason University Political analyst Steve Farnsworth says these surge voters are under 30 and "very Democratic in their loyalties. They voted about 2 to 1 for Obama."

The letters also will target Democrats who are African American.

"If Deeds can get those voters to the poll, with perhaps Obama's help, the numbers could look very different on election day," Farnsworth says.

A Roanoke College survey finds McDonnell leading by 17 points.

George Mason University political analyst Mark Rozell doesn't think the letter will help Deeds.

"I think it's too little too late," Rozell says.

"They feel they need to rev up the Democratic base at a time in the campaign when the Democratic base should already be there."

About 11 percent of Virginia's voters remained undecided ahead of Tuesday's election.

McDonnell has campaign stops in Lynchburg and Culpeper Friday, while Deeds will be in Fairfax County and Falls Church.

Both candidates will be on The Politics Program with Mark Plotkin at 10 a.m.

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