VIRGINIA: Attorney General Ken "Sodomy" Cuccinelli Slips In Latest Poll

Virginia Attorney General Ken "Sodomy" Cuccinelli has slipped to five points behind Democrat Terry McAuliffe in that state's gubernatorial race. The latest result is nearly a reversal of the positions the two candidates held at the launch of the campaign. Right wing sites are wailing that Libertarian candidate Robert Sarvis may be Nader-ing the election.

Sarvis is the wild card in the race and presents a potential threat to Cuccinelli. Sarvis' 8 percent is in line with a Quinnipiac poll out last week that had him at 7 percent. Sarvis gets 15 percent of independents, 5 percent of Republicans, and just 2 percent of Democrats. (McAuliffe and Cuccinelli split independents, with McAuliffe holding a statistically insignificant 36-34 percent edge.) "If this ends up very close, there is a factor there," Miringoff said. Sarvis may be something of an outlet for disaffected Republican voters who are calling themselves independents.

Cuccinelli is reportedly mulling airing a 30-minute campaign ad close to election day. Both Cuccinelli and McAuliffe are seeing soaring "unfavorable" numbers due to a deluge of mud-slinging ads. Cuccinelli's unfavorable number climbed 20 points over the summer.