TDN polls: Sarvis beats Cooch, Poston wins, Burfoot & McDonnell battle

During the past two weeks, I have polled readers on how they would vote for two local offices – Norfolk City Treasurer and Norfolk Commissioner of the Revenue – and for which gubernatorial candidate. The results, while striking, aren’t surprising or earth shattering.  The only nail biter, if you believe these polls, might be the face/off between Burfoot, Norfolk’s democratic heavyweight, and McDonnell, a Republican newcomer.  But the real surprise is the third candidate for governor, Robert Sarvis.

Governor                        Tally

T. McAullife                             43%

K. Cuccinelli                            25%

R. Sarvis                                  30%

Sarvis, a Libertarian, has captured the attention of voters. Yet his only now has his run as the third candidate reached the pages of the mainstream media, such as the Washington Post. Based on my poll, readers prefer Sarvis to social inconcolast and Constitutional repeater, Ken Cuccinelli, the Republican candidate for governor. Mayors Paul Fraim, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach Mayor, Will Sessoms, have endorsed McAuliffe, a Clinton administration veteran. For more on Sarvis, see Jim Robert’s interview with him. 

Norfolk City Treasurer Yeas   Nays

Anthony Burfoot                      2        26                 

James McDonnell                    13       16

Vice Mayor Burfoot, a democrat and also Chief Deputy City Treasurer, certainly wasn’t a favorite among readers. If the election were held today, he would lose. But neither would McDonnell, who is a financial advisor and civic league president, win. Despite his conservative fiscal image, McDonnell fell short of votes. But it’s too late now for anyone to register, so the showdown will be fought between Burfoot and McDonnell. I predict that Burfoot will win the office by a narrow margin Nov. 5.

 Norfolk Commissioner    Yeas     Nays   of the Revenue

Evans Poston                           10        3

Sherry Battle-Hammonds            0          10

Poston, heavily favored and supported by Norfolk’s power brokers, including Mayor Paul Fraim, is clearly the winner in this race. Poston, a 33-year old insurance broker, beat 16-year incumbent, Sharon McDonald, in a June 11 democratic primary. He won by 742 votes, clearly not a mandate. On Nov. 5 he faces Sherry Battle-Edmonds, who ran for City Treasurer in 2009, and registered as an independent. If my polls reflect the public’s consensus, she will lose.