The new Virginia Commonwealth University poll gives Spanberger an advantage over Earle-Sears, with 48 percent of respondents saying they plan to vote for the Democratic candidate and only 36 percent backing the Republican.

RICHMOND — GOP gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears has asked her campaign manager — a pastor with no political experience — to step away from that role amid calls from some fellow Republicans to shake up a campaign that is lagging in fundraising and polls, according to two people familiar with the matter.

A new poll released by Virginia Commonwealth University’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs showed Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger leading Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R-VA) by 12 percentage points.