
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 25, 1995                   TAG: 9501250061
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ALEC KLEIN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                 LENGTH: Short

CLINTON BEATS QUAYLE, LOSES TO DOLE IN VA. POLL

If it were up to Virginia voters, President Clinton could squeak a re- election victory over former vice president Dan Quayle. But a statewide poll released Tuesday provided little other good news for Clinton.

Clinton's performance rating has remained stagnant since March: He garnered the approval of only 39 percent of 809 registered Virginia voters interviewed Jan.16-18 by Maryland-based Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research Inc.

The survey, which has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points, was commissioned by several news organizations, including the Roanoke Times & World-News and WDBJ (Channel 7).

Only 28 percent said flat-out that they would re-elect the Democratic president; 72 percent said they would either consider another candidate or replace him.

Clinton's personal popularity has remained consistently low in Virginia, at 36 percent.

Yet the president has more to fear than disenchanted voters, according to the poll. In a head-to-head contest, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole bests him, 49 percent to 40 percent.

Retired Gen. Colin Powell of Desert Storm fame, who hasn't revealed his political party preference, trounces Clinton by an even larger margin: 50 percent to 35 percent.

Clinton, however, wins 46 percent to 41 percent over Quayle and 44 percent to 36 percent over Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas.

by CNB