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
For the last 10 presidential elections, @placeholder have been able to bank on Virginia delivering its 13 electoral votes to the GOP.
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