Polling Shows Vangie Williams Leads Undecided Voters in VA-01

September 12, 2018

Contact: Sheri Shannon, [email protected]

Fredericksburg, VA. – Change Research conducted a scientific poll between August 29-30, asking undecided voters in Virginia’s 1^st Congressional if the election were held today and you had to choose between Rep. Rob Wittman and Vangie Williams, who would you vote for?

The poll found 30.3 percent of undecided voters said they would cast a vote for the Democrat, Vangie Williams, while 30.1 percent of undecided voters said they would cast a vote for the Republican incumbent, Rep. Rob Wittman. The remainder, 39.6 percent said they do not plan to vote for either of the candidates.

“The fact that undecided voters are breaking for a first-time challenger instead of for the incumbent tells us two things,” said Joel Leonard, Williams’ Campaign Manager. “First, it tells us that the anti-incumbent mood is alive and well in the 1^st District of Virginia. Second, it tells us that people are waking up to the fact that Rob Wittman isn’t representing their interests in Congress. An incumbent should win undecided voters two-to-one at this point in the race.”

While the initial head-to-head margin was soft – around 16 points – because of people still becoming familiar with Williams, the post-persuasion head-to-head margin moved 7 points in Williams’ favor bringing the race to Wittman 50 percent to Williams’ 41 percent. Furthermore, the incumbent’s favorability rating is only 34 percent and his overall job approval rating is 46 percent.

“Rob Wittman’s numbers show his overall vulnerability,” continued Leonard. “The fact that an 11-year incumbent has a favorability rating of 34 percent and a job approval rating of 46 percent is proof that he can be beat. Vangie’s message of post-partisan cooperation that puts the interests of the people of the 1^st District above all else is resonating and we are starting to see broad support from not only expected Democratic voters, but also from moderate Republicans.”

“Our campaign has the largest number of field staff and volunteers on the ground right behind Sen. Kaine,” said Vangie Williams. “We’re talking about the issues that people care about like an economy that works for everyone and making sure people have affordable access to world-class healthcare through a Medicare for all system. People across this district have told us they’re ready for a change in Congress and these poll numbers are telling us the same story.”

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