New Poll Shows Virginia Democrats Deeply Divided Over Gubernatorial Primary

With less than a month to go until the Democrat gubernatorial primary in Virginia, a new poll shows Democrats deeply divided between Ralph Northam and Tom Perriello. The Washington Post-Schar poll shows the race in a virtual tie as Northam and Perriello have abandoned centrism and have embraced the most extreme, radical elements of their party, leaving it splintered ahead of a vital November general election in the Commonwealth.

The Washington Post reports:

“In the past, the Democratic Party of Virginia has always proudly bucked against the more progressive trends on the national party side,’ said Mark Rozell, dean of the Schar School. ‘They’ve always had their success when they projected a more moderate image than the national party. I think things have flipped in some respects. We’re seeing a much more progressive wing of the Democratic Party active in Virginia.”

As they have shunned centrism, Northam and Perriello have shamelessly flip-flopped on key issues to attract voters. While Perriello has done a complete 180 on the views he had in Congress regarding the Second Amendment, abortion, and offshore drilling. Northam has shunned his previous label as a “moderate,” now calling himself a “progressive” as he stakes out far-left positions.

While one of these candidates will prove successful in capturing the Democrat nomination in a few weeks, their increasingly brutal primary fight will undoubtedly diminish their chances of victory in November as Democrats splinter further apart in the Commonwealth.