A recent poll conducted by Cygnal shows that a Democratic candidate running for Virginia’s State House has experienced a significant decrease in popularity among likely voters in her district. Susanna Gibson, who has been embroiled in a scandal involving her performance of online sex shows with her husband, is trailing behind Republican David Owen by over 10 points.
Compared to a previous survey conducted in August before the scandal was reported by The Washington Post, Mr. Owen had a four-point lead among voters in the district. However, the current poll indicates that his lead has now extended to 10.6%.
Not only has Mrs. Gibson’s popularity suffered, with her unfavorability numbers skyrocketing from 12.5% to 45.2%, but her favorability rating has also dipped slightly from 28.1% to 27.3% between August and September.
The Cygnal poll was commissioned by the Republican Commonwealth Leadership PAC, helmed by Virginia Speaker of the House Todd Gilbert. The Gibson campaign has not yet responded to requests for comment.
It is important to note that the Republicans currently hold a slim three-seat majority in the state House, while the Democrats hold the majority in the state Senate by a 4-seat margin. Mrs. Gibson and her attorney claim that the posting of explicit videos to other public websites is revenge porn and a violation of state law.
While Mrs. Gibson’s Republican opponent, Mr. Owen, has expressed sympathy for her situation, he remains focused on his campaign. The Virginia state party and the House Democratic caucus have yet to publicly call for Mrs. Gibson to end her campaign. It remains unclear how much support she can expect from these groups moving forward.
The 57th District, where this race is taking place, is considered a key swing district in Virginia’s upcoming state legislative races. The Cygnal poll surveyed 325 likely voters in this district between September 19-21, with a margin of error of plus-or-minus 5.4%.
Keywords: Virginia Democrat, popularity plunge, online sex scandal, Cygnal poll, Republican opponent, swing district, State House
