Not only has The Washington Post been polling the nation over the past few days, the paper has also surveyed voters in Virginia, who will go to the polls in nine days to decide a competitive gubernatorial. Michael D. Shear and Claudia Deane write up the data from the poll.

Democrat Timothy M. Kaine has taken a narrow lead in Virginia's governor's race, buoyed by newfound strength in Northern Virginia's outer suburbs and an electorate turned off by what it considers the negative tone of his Republican opponent, according to a new Washington Post poll.

Kaine leads Republican Jerry W. Kilgore among the most likely voters by three percentage points, 47 to 44, according to the poll, which has a three percentage point margin of error. Independent candidate H. Russell Potts Jr. was supported by 4 percent of the voters.

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Kaine improved his standing in the past 45 days. A Post poll conducted Sept. 6 to 9 showed the lieutenant governor trailing Kilgore by four percentage points among all voters and seven percentage points among likely voters.

This will be an all out battle over the next few days, especially given the sheer number of political staffers in the neighboring District of Columbia.

What's more, both parties understand that there are national implications for the Kaine-Kilgore contest, along with the gubernatorial race in New Jersey (where Democratic Senator Jon Corzine has just opened up a double digit lead). If the Democrats are able to win in both states next Tuesday, they will be able to credibly claim momentum in both blue and red states; accordingly, Republicans desperately need a Kilgore win.

In other campaign 2005 news, the AP's David Crary lays out the ballot measures voters in seven states will face this November.