Connolly up 20 in internal poll

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly leads former Rep. Leslie Byrne by 20 points in a Democratic primary poll performed by Connolly’s campaign.

The internal poll, obtained by The Hill, shows Connolly leading with 45 percent of the vote compared to Byrne’s 25 percent for the seat being vacated by Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.). Two other candidates — Doug Denneny and Lori Alexander — both registered with 1 percent of the vote.

{mosads}Connolly had a 23-point lead in the same poll, conducted by Lake Research Partners, in January. Byrne at the time responded with a Global Strategy Group poll of her own that shows her leading, 39-29, with Denneny at 8 percent.

Connolly’s campaign asserted that its second public poll qualifies him as the front-runner in the race.
“The dynamic of this race hasn’t changed,” said Connolly campaign manager James Walkinshaw. “Chairman Connolly’s lead is large, it has depth and breadth, and he’s on his way to winning this nomination.”

Byrne campaign manager Joe Fox said his campaign stands by its polling.

“Leslie Byrne has won in this district and in this area multiple times, and our own polling shows that she has a 10-point lead,” Fox said. “And I hope when this is over and Leslie is sworn in, that Gerry can get a refund on this polling.”

Denneny spokesman Kevin Franck said: “The only poll that matters will happen on June 10 when voters go to the ballot box. We are confident that voters will choose a proven leader with a new approach over stale career politicians.”

In Connolly’s poll, his performance as Fairfax Board chairman is scored favorably by 61 percent, while 23 percent disapprove. Byrne’s approval for her single term in Congress in the mid-’90s was rated positively by 41 percent and disapproved of by 31 percent.

The poll surveyed 500 randomly selected registered primary voters across Virginia’s 11th district in late March.