Poll shows Poindexter up by 10 over Armstrong

By Norman Leahy | Friday, October 28th, 2011 | Politics, Southside, Virginia

An American Strategies poll conducted on behalf of the Virginia Association of Realtors finds Republican Charles Poindexter with a 50-40 lead over Democrat Ward Armstrong in the 9th district House of Delegates race. The poll of 400 registered voters (87 percent of whom say they are “almost certain” to vote on Nov. 8th) was in the field October 18-19, so it’s likely the figures have moved somewhat. Ten percent of the respondents were undecided.

There are a few other interesting nuggets in the poll.

By a 51-32 margin, voters prefer a generic Republic candidate to a Democrat.

But far more interesting was a question on the issues the “Virginia state legislature should focus on.” Not surprisingly, 60 percent said “jobs/unemployment,” followed by education (10 percent), the economy (8 percent), and taxes, with 6 percent.

What about utility rates, the centerpiece issue of Armstrong’s campaign? It limps over the line with 5 percent — behind all the issues listed above in addition to infrastructure, health care and government waste. It also lost out to that perennial favorite, “other,” which clocked in with 8 percent.

Some, possibly including those on the Roanoke Times editorial board, would call Ward’s dogged embrace of an issue few care about “leadership.” Others might see it for what it is: the last, feeble gasp of the “Howlin’” Henry Howell brand of politics.

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