Democrat James Webb

Here's yet another twist in Virginia's unexpectedly down-to-the-wire race for U.S. Senate: Democratic candidate James Webb, the novelist and former Navy Secretary whose chances were discounted early on even by many Democrats, has now inched ahead of the incumbent (see crosstabs).

The race has been tightening for months. Until now, though, Republican Senator George Allen has been at least a few points ahead. But the latest Rasmussen Reports survey shows Webb now leading 48% to 46%

Webb does even better when "leaners," currently undecided, agree to pick a candidate. Then Webb leads 51% to 46%.

Less than a week ago, Allen was the candidate with a statistically insignificant lead.

Voters would need flow-chart software to track all the personal attacks in the campaign. But Allen has been getting the worst of it. And he isn't making much headway with a recent effort to impugn Webb's character using incidents from his novels.

To be sure, the effort has raised a question in the minds of some voters. Thirty-nine percent (39%) say the highlighted passages cause concern about Webb. But 59% say No.

GOP voters are much more likely to admit concern, but are not Webb's likeliest converts. The vast majority of Democrats (91%) are unconcerned, as are 64% of unaffiliated voters. And a plurality say the author likely had legitimate literary purposes for crafting the controversial scenes.

Close to half of all voters believe the media has been paying too much attention to the controversy.

Paradoxically, four fifths of all voters, regardless of partisan affiliation, say issues matter more than character in determining their vote. But Allen's slide in the polls began in August with charges about his character.

Senator Allen is viewed "very unfavorably" by 36%, while only 24% are that negative about Webb. Those numbers have increased for both men over the past several days.

Almost all of Senator Allen's supporters say their vote is "for" Allen. Forty-three percent (43%) of Webb supporters say their vote is "against Allen."

Crosstabs are available for Premium Members.

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Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade.