RICHMOND — Former president Donald Trump leads President Biden in Virginia by three percentage points in a new Virginia Commonwealth University-Wilder School poll, but the numbers reflect an anemic showing for both candidates and a decline in Biden’s support instead of a surge in Trump’s.
Virginia
VCU poll shows Trump ahead in Virginia as support for Biden wanes
A New York Times-Siena College poll conducted in Virginia July 9-12 showed the opposite result, with Biden leading Trump by three percentage points — 48 to 45 — among likely voters, though that result is also within the poll’s margin of error. Both polls are in line with other recent Virginia surveys that suggest a significant decline in support for Biden, who beat Trump in the state by five points in 2016 and 10 points in 2020.
“Virginia is in play,” said former governor L. Douglas Wilder (D), whose namesake school of public policy sponsored the poll. “It is a close race. It’s a turnout election in Virginia.”
The VCU-Wilder poll also shows that Virginians support incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine (D) by double digits over Republican challenger Hung Cao, at 49 percent to 38 percent.
At the same time, the survey found a seven-point net decline in Virginians’ approval of Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), with 50 percent approving of his performance as governor and 39 percent disapproving. The school’s January survey showed Youngkin’s approval was four points higher — 54 percent — and disapproval was three points lower, at 36 percent.
With Youngkin weakening and Kaine looking strong, Wilder said, “then why is there such a drop in support for Democrat Biden? I would not be the person to say that he should step down … but it’s very concerning for Democrats.” He suggested that Biden’s debate performance and his stumbles in a follow-up television interview with George Stephanopoulos weakened support for the president.
Respondents rated the “rising cost of living” as the top issue in the race, followed by women’s reproductive rights and immigration.
Biden got low marks for overall handling of his job: 36 percent approved of his performance as president while 58 percent disapproved.
The Democrat particularly lost support among Black voters; 46 percent said they would vote for Biden while 13.7 percent said they would vote for Trump, but Biden’s support from Black voters was down from 67 percent in the last VCU-Wilder poll.
The poll also found that 53 percent of Virginia voters said they were less likely to vote for Trump because of his conviction in New York on 34 felony counts related to hush money payments to an adult-film actress. Another 31 percent said they were more likely to vote for him after the convictions. Among independents, 45 percent said the convictions made them less likely to support Trump while 25 percent said they were more likely.
Wilder said the results mean Biden needs to spend time persuading Virginians to support him. “He needs to do something demonstrably in Virginia so people say, ‘We got to have this guy.’ It’s not a question of the lesser of two evils — no, no, tell us what it is that you are going to do,” Wilder said.
Trump has insisted he can win Virginia, aided by Youngkin, who had kept the controversial former president at arm’s length but finally appeared with him at a rally in Chesapeake, Va., late last month. Biden, meanwhile, has opened campaign offices across Virginia and appeared at an abortion rights rally in Manassas in January.
The VCU-Wilder poll consisted of telephone interviews with 809 Virginia adults, age 18 or older, with about a third conducted on landlines and the rest on cellphones.
BRISTOL, Va. (WCYB) — Crews put out a house fire in Bristol, Virginia, on Wednesday morning, according to officials.
The Bristol, Virginia Fire Department was dispatched at 3:09 a.m. for the fire in the 900 block of Vermont Avenue. The house was unoccupied at the time fire crews arrived on the scene.
Firefighters encountered heavy smoke and flames in the front of the house. They were able to quickly extinguish the fire under challenging conditions. The fire scene remains active and an investigation is underway. No injuries have been reported.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Virginia Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 2, 2026, results for each game:
Mega Millions
Mega Millions drawings take place every week on Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m.
15-26-43-48-60, Mega Ball: 12
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 3
DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.
Night: 4-5-7, FB: 9
Day: 8-7-6, FB: 5
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.
Night: 7-0-6-5, FB: 8
Day: 1-1-9-0, FB: 1
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 5
DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.
Night: 2-9-1-0-4, FB: 0
Day: 5-9-4-1-7, FB: 0
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Cash Pop
Drawing times: Coffee Break 9 a.m.; Lunch Break 12 p.m.; Rush Hour 5 p.m.; Prime Time 9 p.m.; After Hours 11:59 p.m.
Coffee Break: 10
After Hours: 14
Prime Time: 04
Rush Hour: 13
Lunch Break: 06
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
Drawing everyday at 11:15 p.m.
16-33-41-50-52, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Center for Community Journalism (CCJ) editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Virginia
First boat to Bermuda wins — Virginia man prepares for 753-mile voyage from Annapolis – WTOP News
Kevin Sherwood’s boat is one of 21 in this year’s Annapolis to Bermuda Oceans Race, or A2B, which dates back to 1979.
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DC-area man hopes to race from Annapolis to Bermuda by boat
The boat that Kevin Sherwood of Springfield, Virginia, bought is still in dry dock as he makes final repairs and preparations ahead of the whole reason he bought the “Bay Retriever” in the first place.
If all goes as planned, he’ll get it in the water Wednesday, and starting at noon on Friday, he’ll be heading south down the Chesapeake Bay on a 753-mile voyage to Bermuda.
Sherwood’s boat is one of 21 in this year’s Annapolis to Bermuda Oceans Race, or A2B, which dates back to 1979. He’ll be joined by a crew of four others in a race he said is among the most challenging on the East Coast.
“I bought this boat in 2022 specifically for the Bermuda race,” Sherwood said. “Since I bought this, everything we’ve done has been prepping for it.
“Plenty of sailors never leave the Chesapeake. It’s very different when we’re dealing with ocean waves, ocean weather, all kinds of different conditions. So, the boat really needs to be set up for it.”
The bay, being both relatively shallow and surrounded by land, can make for ideal sailing; if something still goes wrong, help isn’t far away.
Heading out in the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean to an island more than 600 miles off the coast can present more difficult circumstances. Yet, if you go on the race’s website, you’ll see a long list of people hoping to get picked up by a boat to help take part.
“We’re out of rescue range for a portion of the trip. They’ll ask a passing freighter to come help you if you have a problem,” Sherwood said. “We are on our own out there.”
Some boats will have full galleys available to help cook meals for the crew. But Sherwood’s vessel, being smaller, has been stocking up on food and water from the grocery store.
He and the crew will take turns sailing and resting in the cabin down below. A “leak loss” — imagine a hammock, more or less — will catch anyone if the boat leans one way while they’re sleeping, lest they fall to the floor.
Of course, that assumes they’ll have strong winds and waves. Sherwood, who has done this race twice before, said that’s not always the case.
“My first Bermuda race, we had plenty of nothing going on,” he said. For two days, the winds were so calm Sherwood’s team was “barely making two knots.”
Two years ago, he saw more clouds than stars and sun, and waves were running 12-15 feet high.
“The last couple of races we haven’t seen many sunsets because of clouds, fog, rain, that sort of thing,” Sherwood said. “But when you are out there all alone and just the stars, it’s incredibly detached. There’s really nowhere left in the country to get this isolated.”
Of course, having access to Starlink means there is some connection out on the water — though, if you’re on duty, you’re too focused to care. If you’re not, you’re probably resting.
“There’s definitely parts I’m going to hate,” he said. “There’s parts I’m going to be asking myself, ‘Why am I doing this? Why am I here?’ But it’s just such an awesome team sport. When I go off watch, I’m trusting the other guys to keep sailing, keep racing, to keep us safe, to keep the boat moving fast. We get to detach from the world.”
(WTOP/John Domen)
WTOP/John Domen
(WTOP/John Domen)
WTOP/John Domen
For how long is anyone’s guess. Weather and winds will determine the time it takes to get there.
“If conditions are amazing, we’ll get in on Tuesday,” he said. “If conditions are great, Wednesday. If they’re average, Thursday, and if they’re terrible, Friday.”
Those following from home can track Sherwood and everyone else in the race online. Whenever he arrives, he said workers on the docks will have a “Dark n’ Stormy” — one of Bermuda’s national drinks — waiting for them.
He’ll also be hoping to be handed a trophy he can sail back with, but that’s not the most important thing right now.
“There’s a point of pride just for completing this; 753 miles of ocean sailing is a big deal,” he said.
“So, yeah, I mean, I want to do well, but my first goal is just to make it back here safely in two and a half weeks. My next goal is to make it to Bermuda safely. Then my third goal is to finish well and get a podium finish again.”
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