Close Race For Democratic Nomination: Virginia Governor's Election

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- Candidates for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination are in a tight race, according to a new Washington Post-Schar School poll, with likely Democratic voters who supported Bernie Sanders in the 2016 election split from Hillary Clinton voters.

Overall, Tom Perriello leads with 40 percent of likely Democratic voters to Ralph Northam's 38 percent, a difference within the margin of error. Twenty-two percent of those polled have not decided on either candidate. Perriello is a former congressman while Ralph Northam is the current lieutenant governor.

(Subscribe to get Virginia Patch News Alerts and a newsletter. iPhone users can download the Patch app in the App Store.)

The candidates do show notable leads in different age groups. Perriello leads 41 to 21 percent among voters ages 18-39. Northam leads by 16 points among those 65 and older. People ages 40-59 are split between the candidates.

The race will be one of the first indications of how the Democratic Party responds to Donald Trump's election and presidency. Virginia and New Jersey are the only states with gubernatorial elections in 2017. Perriello leads 40 to 22 percent with voters who supported Sanders in the primary, while Northam slightly leads 35 to 34 with those who wanted Clinton.

Perriello has been endorsed by the party's progressive leaders, Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Northam’s is supported by Gov. Terry McAuliffe and nearly all other Virginia Democrats in Congress and the state legislature.

The poll was given to 654 registered leaning Democrats 6 May 9-14. On the Republican side, the candidates are former Republican National Committee Chair Ed Gillespie, Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chair Corey Stewart and State Sen. Frank Wagner. The primary election is June 13.

See more from The Washington Post.

Image via Steve Helber/Associated Press