Collegiate Times

NBC12′s Weekend Anchor Ryan Nobles runs the blog Decision Virginia, currently following the primary. After the release of the statement by Omar Samaha and Colin Goddard urging voters to support “anybody but Creigh” Deeds, Nobles talked to Samaha and Goddard about the timing of the release.

However, when I asked Goddard directly about the involvement of either campaigns, he confirmed that he had received assistance from Terry McAuliffe’s campaign. Specifically he said the campaign provided he and Samaha with a press e-mail list to distribute their statement. He said the e-mail was supposed to go out Sunday, but an error was made in the sending process delaying it until today.

He denied that the campaign encouraged their efforts, and emphatically stated that the decision to release the statement was his and Samah’s idea, but he said the McAuliffe campaign was helpful in getting the information out….

Nobles said the press list assistance was confirmed by the McAuliffe campaign. He updated his post with a statement from Creigh Deeds.

“My heart has gone out to all of the victims and the families of the Virginia Tech tragedy.  There are certain events that happen in our lifetime that are above politics.  And I’m not going to comment on any campaign that would exploit this tragedy.”

The “anybody but Creigh” Monday-evening campaign was heavily publicized by the blog Not Larry Sabato written by Ben Tribbett. Tribbett’s original Twitter post of the article was retweeted several times by blog followers, leading to attacks on his the timing of his post. In a Twitter reply to a detractor, he wrote “I run a news site- and I will not silence these victims because it is close to an election. They deserve to be heard.”

This morning, Tribbett tweeted the following:

Headed to go vote for @terry_mcauliffe in the precinct next to Ray’s Hell Burger- than will get a burger with the man himself!

His latest tweet described it as “a fabulous lunch.”

- Phillip Murillas

One of the most heavily Democratic areas of the state has seen turnout dwindle due to severe thunderstorms, the Washington Post reports.

Poll workers in the Arlington area reported record highs in absentee ballots received prior to the primary, but today’s turnout has been less than expected. There was been severe weather in the area this morning, and more rain is expected tonight.

Indeed, several polling places in central Fairfax County felt like ghost towns this morning. At Cedar Lane Elementary School in Vienna, only eight people had voted by 6:40; volunteers for candidates there joked that election officials might be able to count votes on their fingers and toes if the early morning pace held. -Washington Post

Candidates Terry McAuliffe and Brian Moran are both stationed in the Northern Virginia area today, while Deeds is in Bath County.

If Northern Virginia turnout is indeed dampened, it could significantly hinder Moran’s run for the nomination. Many local officials in the area are expected to produce turnout for Moran, who is virtually tied with Deeds for the lead in that area of the state.

McAuliffe and Deeds are drawing larger portions of their support from other parts of the state.

However, Deeds surge to the front of the polls was largely attributed to his gains in Northern Virginia. Zc

Andrew Goddard showing support for a bill at the State Capital

One candidate has been singled out due to his views on gun ownership.

Andrew Goddard, whose son Colin was injured in Norris Hall, and Omar Samaha, whose sister Reema was killed, are reportedly asking voters to turn away from Creigh Deeds. Terry McAuliffe’s campaign was happy to help with their endeavor, as McAuliffe sent out a press release yesterday questioning Deeds’ record on guns.

It pointed out he voted to allow firearms in restaurants, a bill that was vetoed by Governor Tim Kaine, and opposed a ban on buying more than one handgun in a month.

Goddard and Samaha have been active in lobbying for gun control in the past, most notably seeking the passage of a bill to change restrictions on gun shows. See my February report on Goddard’s protests here.

As Deeds leads the polls, McAuliffe and Moran are suddenly on the same side, pointing out an area of Deeds’ record that had been kept quiet up until this point. Zc

In the Gilbert Linkous Elementary School library, the G2 precinct’s chief election officer was on a couch reading a book.

Hugh Van Landingham said about 21 people had voted at the polls on Tom’s Creek Road by 8:00 a.m., and four of them were officers at the booth.

The primary election is certainly a different ballgame in Blacksburg than the 2008 presidential election was. No voting issues, no lines … no voters, really. There was a 2.2 percent turnout in the 2005 primary election, which was a dual primary for the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. With only one party to get out of bed and come to the voting booths for, we’ll see how the final turnout ends up.

Officers of all precincts are to report the preliminary count by 10:00a.m., so we can have a better idea soon after that.

- Sara Mitchell

Here is some last minute reading for you before you head out to the polls tomorrow.

First of all, take a look at this guide if you are unsure of your polling location.

If you are still undecided, take a look at each candidate’s respective website.

Creigh Deeds

Terry McAuliffe

Brian Moran

Also, take a look at the candidates’ positions with this video from the Democratic Debate in Blacksburg.

Check back tomorrow for updates from around the state. Zc

Undecided voters appear to have decided on Creigh Deeds in the Democratic Gubernatorial primary.

What was a three point lead early last week has ballooned into a 14 point advantage. In a poll released Sunday by Public Policy Polling, 40% of those surveyed said they would vote for Deeds. Terry McAuliffe received 26% of the votes, while Brian Moran held 24%.

Undecided voters made up 10% of those surveyed.

PPP points to Northern Virginia as the major turning point for Deeds. He now leads in the region, taking a three point edge over Moran.

Previously, Deeds had brought in as little as 11% of the vote in the area.

Among independent voters, Deeds has a 27 point edge.

There is also a race for the Democratic Lieutenant Governor nomination, but Jody Wagner leads the way with 41% of the vote, compared to only 12% for Michael Signer.

Check back later for a rundown of polling places and times. Zc

For the first time in a long time, there is a primary election in the race for the Virginia Governor seat.

Tuesday, voters will choose from former state senator Creigh Deeds, former DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe and state senator Brian Moran to represent the Democrats in November’s governor election against the Republican candidate Bob McDonnell.

The thing is, how many people will be choosing? It may be a very low number.

Jim Webb won the most recent Virginia Democratic primary election, as he was chosen to be the party’s candidate for US Senate, a seat he eventually won over the incumbent George Allen (keyword: “Macaca”).

That primary election produced just under 3.65% of the registered voters. A 2001 liutenant governor free-for-all turned out even less than that, at 2.6%.

Public Policy Polling has been tracking the race. A very interesting post on their blog, found here explains how women and African-American voters make up a disproportionate amount of undecided voters heading into Tuesday’s primary.

Although there is the straight away, horse race approach to the race, which gives Deeds the advantage according to PPP’s latest poll, the other aspect to look at is the severe opposition felt between McAuliffe and Moran.

As was seen in Blacksburg during the debate at the Lyric, McAuliffe and Moran have built up some venom for each other, and that likely translates into the base. Deeds, who is Blacksburg’s most local candidate as he is originally from Bath County, has largely kept his voice down, which may explain a recent surge that took him into the lead.

According to that PPP poll from earlier this week, Deeds has 27%, followed closely by McAuliffe at 24% and Moran at 22%. Moran has stayed steady throughout the past month, while Deeds and McAuliffe have been going in opposite directions.

Support for Deeds nearly doubled in May and McAuliffe lost a significant lead.

Ads have certainly picked up, but Moran’s attack ad on McAuliffe appears to have done more good for Deeds than anyone else. Some final polling numbers should be out tomorrow or Monday, so we will take a last look when those appear.

Right now, staying out of the fight is looking like a good choice for Deeds. Zc