In the 2008 race for Virginia’s open U.S. Senate seat, a Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds Democrat Mark Warner leading Republican Jim Gilmore 53% to 37%. Both men are former Governors of Virginia and both considered running for their party’s 2008 Presidential nomination. Warner dropped out before the campaigning really began while Gilmore hung around long enough to participate in a few early GOP debates.

Warner leads by seven percentage points among men and nineteen points among women.

The current survey results are similar to those from last month, just before Warner officially entered the race. At that time, Virginia Congressman Tom Davis was also considering the race, but he has since opted out.

In 2008, Virginia voters will select a new face to replace the retiring Republican Senator John Warner. The retiring Republican Senator is not related to the Democratic Governor seeking to replace him.

In 2006, Virginia was home to one of the more interesting Senate elections as Senator George Allen gave away what initially appeared to be an insurmountable lead and lost a squeaker to James Webb. Without Allen’s fumble, the Democrats would not have gained majority party status in the U.S. Senate.

A separate release shows that the race for Virginia’s Electoral Votes is much more competitive than the Senate race at this time.

Seventy percent (70%) of Virginia voters say it is Very Important for the government to improve its enforcement of the borders and reduce illegal immigration. Just 27% say it is Very Important to legalize the status of illegal aliens already in the United States.

Backing up those views, 79% believe that if a police officer pulls someone over for a traffic violation, the officer should automatically check to see if that person is in the country legally. Sixty-seven percent (67%) believe that illegal aliens discovered in this manner should be deported. Support for this approach is found across partisan and demographic lines. From an ideological perspective, 79% of conservatives believe illegal aliens discovered through a traffic violation should be deported. Forty-seven percent (47%) of liberal voters agree.

Seventy-two percent (72%) believe that if a person wants to rent an apartment in Virginia, they should be required to show documents proving that they are legally in the United States.

Seventy-one percent (71%) favor strict government sanctions on employers who hire illegal immigrants.

Eighty-two percent (82%) are opposed to allowing illegal immigrants to receive a drivers license. Eighty-six percent (86%) say that illegal immigrants should not be allowed to receive public benefits such as rental and housing assistance.

The survey was conducted in partnership with Fox Television Stations, Inc.

See survey questions and top-line results. Crosstabs available for Premium Members only.