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 voters' confidence in the economy, Obama has begun to open a lead in the state, as he has done in other battleground states.
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Poll of polls has Sen. Obama leading Sen. McCain 49 percent to 45 percent
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Rapid growth of suburbs around Washington has made Virginia more liberal
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Conservatives angered by McCain's support for bailout, mortgage buyouts
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Obama
Obama
Obama
Polls show that voters have more confidence in @placeholder to handle the economic crisis than they do in McCain, and are more likely to blame Republicans for the recent turmoil than Democrats.
John McCain
McCain
McCain
Polls show that voters have more confidence in Obama to handle the economic crisis than they do in @placeholder, and are more likely to blame Republicans for the recent turmoil than Democrats.
Republicans
Republican
Polls show that voters have more confidence in Obama to handle the economic crisis than they do in McCain, and are more likely to blame @placeholder for the recent turmoil than Democrats.
Republicans
Republican
For the last 10 presidential elections, @placeholder have been able to bank on Virginia delivering its 13 electoral votes to the GOP.
Virginia
Virginia
Virginia
Virginia
For the last 10 presidential elections, Republicans have been able to bank on @placeholder delivering its 13 electoral votes to the GOP.
Republicans
Republican
For the last 10 presidential elections, Republicans have been able to bank on Virginia delivering its 13 electoral votes to the @placeholder.
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Obama
Obama
Obama
A lot of people are buying into [@placeholder's] notion of change."