VA: Ramsussen got Obama ahead of Romney

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I really don't understand why you think that Portman would have any effect whatsoever outside Ohio. Even in Ohio it's not like he's a white-hot superstar or something. Depending on how the campaign goes he might very well help in some way or another, but the phenomenon of simply being Rob Portman is incredibly boring and safe.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

This poll surprises me, I thought he would have both Allen and Romney ahead in VA, cause he has Romney ahead in Iowa. But I do expect Romney/Portman to narrowly win VA.

Rasmussen had Obama up 9 in March. Not sure why a 1 point race in one of the two most likely tipping point state is a surprise.

Because Rasmussen's exhibited a slight-to-moderate Republican bias the past couple of cycles.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Bias or no bias, its all relative when you compare only Rasmussen polls. The margin has been 0, 1, and -1 in the last three VA-Rasmussen polls and Obama +9 and + 6 in the previous two. That would suggest a tightening (and stable) race.

Definitely, and I think a couple points more Democratic than that is about where we are and where we'll stay absent a major shakeup of the campaign.