Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly led former Rep. Leslie Byrne by 23 points in the 11th district Democratic primary contest, according to a two-month-old poll released on Monday by Connolly’s campaign.

The campaign released the poll just days after Sen. Jim Webb (D) signaled his preference for Byrne in the June 10 primary.

The survey of 400 registered voters was conducted by Lake Research Partners Jan. 7-10, immediately following Connolly’s announcement that he was forming an exploratory committee for a Congressional bid.

Byrne, the 2005 Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor who spent one term in Congress, earned 22 percent in a head-to-head matchup while Connolly earned 45 percent. The survey had a 4.9-point margin of error.

Rep. Tom Davis (R) announced he was not seeking re-election in late January. Businessman Keith Fimian, who has proved to be a strong fundraiser so far, appears to be the Republican Party’s most likely candidate. The Virginia filing deadline is April 11.
— John McArdle