Youngkin Leads McAuliffe in New Poll of Likely Virginia Voters Less than a Week before Election Day

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Glenn Youngkin, the Republican nominee vying to be the next governor of Virginia, has pulled ahead of his Democratic opponent, Terry McAuliffe, according to a new Fox News poll of likely voters released Thursday.

The poll shows Youngkin receiving the support of 53 percent of likely voters in Virginia to McAuliffe’s 45 percent. The lead is outside of the survey’s margin of error.

The results mark a significant increase in support for Youngkin from the last Fox News poll that was conducted just two weeks prior, which showed McAuliffe ahead by five percentage points, at 51 to 46 percent.

Meanwhile, among registered voters — a larger group than those who self-identified as “likely voters” — Youngkin leads McAuliffe 48 percent to 47 percent, according to the poll conducted between October 24 and October 27.

Two weeks ago, McAuliffe led among that group by 11 points, with 52 percent to Youngkin’s 41 percent.

Meanwhile, the results of the Republican Winsome Sears for Lietenant Governor Campaign poll, obtained by the Washington Examiner, also showed Youngkin ahead of McAuliffe. That poll, conducted by co/efficient from October 20 to 21, found Youngkin with 47 percent support among likely voters and McAuliffe with 43 percent. The internal poll was conducted among 785 likely general election voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent.

Education has emerged as a main focus of the gubernatorial race, after McAuliffe claimed in the pair’s final debate that parents shouldn’t “be telling schools what they should teach.”

Youngkin, however, has vowed to ban the teaching of critical race theory in Virginia schools on his first day in office. His Democratic opponent has denied CRT is present in Virginia schools.

The Fox News survey showed Youngkin leading among parents by 14 points, a huge jump from two weeks ago when McAuliffe was ahead by 10 points. Parents also trust Youngkin over McAuliffe to handle education, with the Republican’s earlier 1-point edge increasing to 12.

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