The Virginia governor’s race might not be a slam dunk for Democrat Terry McAuliffe

Those same polls, however, show some undercurrents that should concern smart Democrats. The most recent Monmouth University poll, released last week, had McAuliffe ahead by only a 47-42 margin. This is despite the fact that more than one-third of respondents have no opinion about Youngkin, suggesting he has room to move up as more people get to know him. The poll also showed Youngkin ahead by six points among independents, while winning Republicans by a massive 91-5 margin. An older poll from Christopher Newport University also showed McAuliffe’s weakness among independents, finding the former governor ahead by only five points among this crucial demographic.