Presidential Election -- Virginia

Electoral votes: 13

2004 result: Bush 54%, Kerry 45%

2000 result: Bush 52%, Gore 44%

Most recent Democratic win (1964): Johnson 54%, Goldwater 46%

African American percentage: 19.9% (national average is 12.8%)

Link to polls in Real Clear Politics

Virginia was one of the earliest southern states to begin voting Republican in presidential elections. I wrote at greater length in this post, about that history.

Obama has recently emerged as the leader in Virginia polls, but the race is still close. Virginia is one of the most important states where the polls are close. There are the three Great Lakes states I wrote about earlier. And since then, Florida has moved toward "undecided" and away from "leaning McCain". Among all those, Virginia will be watched very closely.