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For the first time, a new poll shows Democratic candidate Jim Webb ahead in the race for U.S. Senate in Virginia.

In the Wall Street Journal Zogby poll, Webb has 47.9 percent of the vote; Republican Senator George Allen has 46.6 percent.

Allen has been sliding in the polls since he was caught on tape calling a Jim Webb volunteer of Indian descent ‘macaca,' which is defined as a type of monkey.

Allen has apologized several times since then, but the damage was apparently done.  A Survey USA poll last week showed Allen's once 16-point lead dipping to 3 percentage points.

"I think it's an indication that Virginians are sort of uncomfortable or maybe slightly unhappy with Allen," said Quentin Kidd, a political science associate professer with Christopher Newport University in Newport News.

He added that while Allen has been wounded, Webb still has his work cut out for him.

"What's going to indicate to me whether Webb is going to be able to capitalize in this is whether he's able to raise money.  I think his biggest weakness all along has been that he hasn't been able to raise money. And the last numbers I saw, he was below a million dollars and Allen was up seven million or so."

Webb campaign manager Jessica Vanden Berg said today, "This survey shows a ‘sharp swing’ in favor of Jim Webb, but we can't take anything for granted." 

Meantime, Hampton Roads residents will have a chance to size up Senator Allen on Tuesday. The George Allen Listening Tour will stop in Hampton, Newport News and Norfolk.

James Webb will be in Va. Beach Tuesday morning to deliver what his campaign calls "a major policy speech on Hurricane Katrina and Homeland Security."