PPP is out with fresh polling on Virginia's 5th CD. The highlights:*"Tom Perriello is tied with Republican frontrunner Robert Hurt at 44% each."
*If former Rep. Virgil Goode runs, "Perriello and Goode tie at 41% with Hurt getting just 12%."
*Perriello "has a 46-42 advantage over Ken Boyd, a 45-37 one over Jim McKelvey, a 45-36 edge over Michael McPadden, and a 44-34 one over Laurence Verga."
*"Voters are relatively divided on Perriello’s performance so far with 42% approving to 46% who are unhappy with him."
*"None of the Republican candidates have better than 30% name recognition," with the Republican nomination being "[Goode's] for the taking if he changed his mind about seeking it."
Overall, these numbers aren't bad at all considering a political climate which isn't exactly ideal for Democrats right now. But remember, Tom Perriello overcame huge odds in 2008 against the supposedly "unbeatable" Virgil Goode. I'm confident that Perriello will prevail again in 2010, either against Virgil Goode or Robert Hurt, in part because Perriello has done a superb job connecting with people in his district. In addition, Perriello has worked his butt off and has done what he thinks is right for his district. Finally, I believe that, in the end, 5th CD voters will vote for a man who is driven by principles and conviction. Unlike, for instance, a finger-in-the-air, slippery, career politician like Robert Hurt.
