A new poll released by Virginia Commonwealth University’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs showed Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger leading Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R-VA) by 12 percentage points.

According to the poll, Spanberger has 49% support among registered Virginia voters compared to Earle-Sears’s 37% support. A previous VCU poll in December showed Spanberger leading Earle-Sears 45% to 35%.

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Democratic lieutenant governor nominee state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi also led her Republican opponent John Reid, 46% to 36%. Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones bests Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, 47% to 38%.

“The poll results show a clear message from the voters: Performance matters, and so do priorities. This poll should be a wake-up call,” said former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder.

Candidates still have some time to attempt to persuade the 47% of independents who said they were undecided across all three races.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin‘s (R-VA) approval rating is at 49%, with 39% disapproving, compared to President Donald Trump’s approval rating in Virginia at 40% with  55% disapproving.

Among Republicans, Youngkin’s approval jumps to 84% and drops to 20% among Democrats. Independents were split on Youngkin, with 51% disapproving.

Wilder, a Democratic governor, said voters were not “buying political spin.”

“They want action on the issues that hit hardest: the rising costs of living, threats to women’s rights and immigration policies,” he continued. “The shift from education to economic and personal freedoms shows an engaged electorate.”

This is the first major poll on the off-year Virginia elections since Democrats held their primaries last month. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.16 percentage points and was conducted between June 19 and July 3. It reflects the responses of 764 registered voters.

The Virginia governor race is seen as a political bellwether ahead of next year’s midterm elections.

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Earle-Sears is attempting to capitalize on the success of the 2021 GOP victory with Youngkin and the administration’s work over the past four years.

Spanberger, a former Democratic House member, is hoping to flip the governor’s mansion blue after Trump and the GOP dominated the 2024 elections.