Obama in position to take Virginia from GOP

Poll of polls has Sen. Obama leading Sen. McCain 49 percent to 45 percent Rapid growth of suburbs around Washington has made Virginia more liberal Conservatives angered by McCain's support for bailout, mortgage buyouts WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Virginia hasn't backed a Democrat for president in 44 years, but economic concerns and changing demographics are giving Sen. Barack Obama a chance to steal the once reliably red state from Republicans. Sen. Barack Obama waves as rain falls on a rally in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in late September. Polls earlier this year showed Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, leading Obama, his Democratic rival, in Virginia by a healthy margin. A Virginia Commonwealth University poll taken May 12-18 had McCain leading 47 percent to 39 percent. But as the financial crisis has shaken... [read full story]