(The Center Square) – Early voting is set to begin Sept. 20 in Virginia, and the race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump remains tight.
The vice president leads the former president by three points (47%-44%), according to a survey by The Institute for Policy and Opinion Research at Roanoke College. Despite the statistical tie within the margin of error, Democratic incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine is maintaining a commanding lead over Republican challenger Hung Cao (55%-45%), according to a poll by ActiVote.
Meanwhile, in the 7th Congressional District, the commonwealth’s most expensive U.S. House race has Democrat Eugene Vindman and Republican Derrick Anderson running neck and neck. Vindman leads 42%-41%, according to a poll from Ragnar Research Partners.
Though the two are in a dead heat, Vindman has raised over $7.4 million as of June 30, according to Open Secrets, whereas Anderson has raked in just over $1.4 million. Vindman’s campaign has spent $5.1 million, while Anderson has spent $953,000.
Vindman, a retired Army colonel whose whistleblowing led to Trump’s first impeachment, has been accused by some Republicans of taking in “California money.”
Republicans also say Vindman has dodged all debate requests by the Anderson campaign and is avoiding the media.
“After ducking every debate request from GOP nominee [Anderson], Radical Democrat Eugene Vindman is now apparently even ducking softball interviews from left-wing cable news networks,” the Virginia GOP posted on X.
The Center Square was unsuccessful getting comment from the Vindman campaign on Republicans’ accusations.
To give Trump a boost in the commonwealth, former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. withdrew his name from the ballot. In the Roanoke survey, Kennedy was polling at 6%. However, it appears his supporters may be split between Harris and Trump in a head-to-head matchup.
The Trump campaign hopes to ride on the coattails of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s popularity in the commonwealth. Trump and Youngkin contend Virginia is in play come November despite it having been two decades since the commonwealth voted for a Republican presidential candidate.
The Trump campaign has opened over a dozen campaign offices throughout the commonwealth, focusing on grassroots efforts.
