CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The latest poll from Christoper Newport’s Wason Center has Democrat Abigail Spanberger with a commanding 12-point lead over Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, 52-40%.

Only 8% remained undecided as early voting opened Friday.

The telephone poll of 808 likely voters showed both candidates have strong support from within their own parties, with Spanberger getting support from 95% of Democrats polled, while Earle-Sears was backed by 91% of Republicans. 

Spanberger also holds a 55%-32% edge in independent voters, according to the poll and 60%-30% backing from voters who hold a college degree.

Earle-Sears holds slighter margins among Whites (50-44) and men (48-44).

The poll also asked likely voters which issues would drive their vote in November.

Inflation and cost of living concerns were named by 21% of respondents, while 18% said threats to democracy.

Democrats have worked to paint Earle-Sears as a supporter of the Trump Administration, calling out her backing of the President’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 

But Earle-Sears has not officially been endorsed by Trump. 

That’s significant because the poll found Trump’s popularity dramatically low, with 58% of those polled say they disapprove of the way the President is handling his job, compared to just 39% who say they approve.

Down the ballot, Democrats Ghazala Hashmi, the nominee for lieutenant governor, and Jay Jones, the party’s candidate for attorney general also hold leads.

Hashmi, a state senator, holds an 11-point edge against John Reid, the former conservative radio personality, 48%-37%.

Jones, a former assistant attorney general and state delegate, leads incumbent attorney general Jason Miyares, 48%-41%. 

Perhaps most revealing, the poll showed that while likely voters feel they have a good sense of who Spanberger and Earle-Sears are as candidates, the downballot races feature far lesser known candidates. 

Spanberger has a 43% favorable opinion rating, and a 33% unfavorable one. Just 26% of those surveyed had no opinion or didn’t know. 

For Earle-Sears, 37% of respondents view her unfavorably, while 33% see her favorably. 29% of voters polled had no opinion or didn’t know.

But 75% said they had no opinion or didn’t know how to answer about Reid’s favorability, and 73% said the same for Hashmi.

For attorney general, 58% had no opinion or didn’t know about Miyares, while 56% responded that way about Jones.