RICHMOND — Democrats fared far better in the gubernatorial election than polls predicted leading up to Election Day.

Emerson College Polling, the Institute for Policy and Opinion Research at Roanoke College, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University and the Wason Center for Civic Leadership at Christopher Newport University released surveys in an attempt to measure voter sentiment throughout the campaign.

Democratic candidate and now Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger maintained a consistent lead over Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears in all polls, occasionally holding leads in the double-digits.

Once polls closed and the votes were counted, Spanberger’s victory was decisive. Several media outlets called her victory under an hour aft

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