McDonnell Leads by 11 POINTS!

MANDATE

The Post does it's best to defend Obama and make this kind of crushing defeat not about the President, but this kind of reality is difficult to deflect. Of course Virginia is a mandate on Obama and the Democrats performance. If Deeds was behind by less than 5 or tied, you could blame the loss on Deeds, BUT this election looks like it will be a crushing defeat, and that you can lay at Obama's clay feet.

McDonnell holds double-digit advantages when it comes to dealing with the economy (plus 17 percentage points), transportation (16 points), taxes (25 points) and has overtaken Deeds as the one more trusted to handle issues of special concern to women (7 points). On taxes, which has been a focal point of the campaign in recent weeks, McDonnell has stretched his lead significantly, and now holds a better than 2 to 1 lead over Deeds among independent voters.