RICHMOND, Va. — A new poll conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University's Wilder School reveals that the governor's race is becoming more competitive as Election Day approaches, now two months away.
This most recent Commonwealth Poll was conducted from Aug. 18 to 28. 804 Virginians were surveyed about their candidate choices and pressing issues as we head towards Election Day.
In the governor's race, Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger still leads Republican nominee Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by nine percentage points in a 49% to 40% split.
The Republican candidate gained three-percentage points while Spanberger's polling results were unchanged, this is in comparison to the last Commonwealth Poll, which was conducted in June. Previously, Earle-Sears had trailed Spanberger by a 12-point margin of 49% to 37%.
Watch previous coverage: Spanberger widens double-digit lead in Virginia governor's race in VCU's June 2025 poll
Similar gains among Republican candidates have been reflected across the statewide ticket; the outlined percentage changes are in comparison to the June 2025 Commonwealth Poll:
Lieutenant governor election poll numbers:
- State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D): 45% (-1 since June)
- Former radio host John Reid (R): 41% (+5 since June)
Attorney general election poll numbers:
- Former State Del. Jay Jones (D): 47% (no change since June)
- Current Attorney General Jason Miyares (R): 41% (+3 since June)
These races have tightened across the board. So winning over independent voters would be quite the prize for either party, as VCU's poll reported that 48% of independents remain undecided.
Regarding pressing issues for Virginia residents, 28% of surveyed voters pointed to the rising cost of living. 13% said women's reproductive rights, while 12% said immigration and education, according to the Commonwealth Poll.
