Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D) leads Republican nominee Ed Gillespie by 17 points in the Virginia governor's race, according to a new poll from Quinnipiac University.

Northam received 53 percent among likely voters in Virginia, while Gillespie polled at 36 percent.

The Quinnipiac polls have had better results for Northam than other surveys. According to RealClearPolitics, Northam leads Gillespie by just 3.3 points in an average of several polls.

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The results of the most recent Quinnipiac poll is up from the 14-point lead Northam held in one of the university’s polls earlier this month.

"In 2014, Republican Ed Gillespie came oh-so-close to upsetting Democratic Sen. Mark Warner Mark Robert WarnerIntelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings Overnight Defense: Trump hosts Israel, UAE, Bahrain for historic signing l Air Force reveals it secretly built and flew new fighter jet l Coronavirus creates delay in Pentagon research for alternative to 'forever chemicals' House approves bill to secure internet-connected federal devices against cyber threats MORE, at least in part because 2014 was a Republican year and Gillespie benefited from the national pro-GOP mood. But with President Donald Trump's approval ratings in the dumpster in Virginia and in the nation, this year the shoe is on the other foot for Gillespie,” the assistant director of the Quinnipiac poll, Peter Brown, said in a statement.

Brown noted “the size and scope” of the Democrats’ lead in the race, saying it’s “impressive.”

"And history does not provide many examples of candidates who have come back from this large a deficit so close to the actual voting," said Brown.

Nearly three-quarters of nonwhite voters in the most recent survey, 72 percent, said they back Northam, while 15 percent are for Gillespie. But the two candidates are tied among white voters, with each receiving 46 percent.

Both candidates have received the backing of prominent politicians, with Vice President Pence stumping for Gillespie earlier this month and former President Barack Obama Barack Hussein ObamaTwitter investigating automated image previews over apparent algorithmic bias Donald Trump delivers promise for less interventions in foreign policy Rush Limbaugh encourages Senate to skip hearings for Trump's SCOTUS nominee MORE hitting the trail for Northam.

Sixty-percent of voters in Virginia, a state President Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE lost in the general election by more than 5 points, said they disapprove of how Trump is managing his job as commander in chief. Only 34 percent said they approve.

The survey of 916 people was conducted from Oct. 25 to 29 by cellphones and landlines. It has a margin of error of 4.2 percentage points.