McDonnell ticket leads race for cash, votes

Republican Robert F. McDonnell is leading by 12 points heading into Election Day, according to a poll released Sunday.

The poll by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. was conducted on behalf of the Richmond Times-Dispatch and showed that Mr. McDonnell leads Democrat R. Creigh Deeds 53 percent to 41 percent.

Recent polls show Mr. Deeds trailing the Republican by as many as 18 points.

Campaigning over the weekend, the candidates repeatedly said that what voters decide on Election Day is what matters.

Mr. Deeds said: “The only poll that counts is going to be taken on Tuesday. I’ve been down in the polls before.”

Despite his apparent lead, Mr. McDonnell said turning excitement into votes “is the key challenge right now.”

Going into Tuesday, Mr. McDonnell led the money race as well. From Jan. 1 to Oct. 21, Mr. McDonnell raised $18,549,705 and spent $18,751,576, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. In the same period, Mr. Deeds raised $14,838,096 and spent $14,704,058.

The Times-Dispatch’s Mason-Dixon poll of 625 registered voters was conducted from Tuesday to Thursday and has a margin of error of four percentage points. It showed that Republicans could sweep the top of the ticket.

In the poll,Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling leads Democrat Jody M. Wagner by 13 percent in his bid for re-election. And Republican Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II leads Democrat Steve Shannon by 14 points in the attorney-general race.

Mr. Bolling also outraised and outspent his opponent. He brought in $2,635,608 and spent $2,827,438 during the same period. Ms. Wagner raised $2,522,588 and spent $2,569,752.

Meanwhile in the attorney-general race, Mr. Cuccinelli raised $2,329,320 and spent $2,384,672, and Mr. Shannon raised $2,414,603 and spent $2,205,065.