Delegate Robert G. Marshall, a candidate for U.S. Senate, today accused one of his Republicans rivals of "peddling fudge."

Countering a claim Monday from former Gov. Jim Gilmore's camp that Gilmore had "a clear majority of the convention delegates" in the nomination contest for the Senate seat that will be decided May 30-21 at the party's convention in Richmond, Marshall's spokesman Bill Kling dubbed it "more fudge than fact."

Kling says a lot of delegates will not be selected until this weekend, the race is "too close to call," and even "' President Dewey learned in 1948 that voters decide elections, not Republican pollsters peddling fudge."

Here is the remainder of the release:

"Finally, there's a troubling bit of history involving a political campaign trick.

The Gilmore campaign is directed by long-time Gilmore confidante Dick Leggitt, who testified in a Colorado court in 2006 that he fabricated polling data for a gubernatorial campaign he was managing there and gave it to a Denver Post reporter, a violation of state law. Leggitt resigned from that campaign 'one week after [he] admitted under oath that he sent false polling numbers to a reporter,' according to a May 6, 2006, article in the Rocky Mountain News.

'Leggitt said he sent bogus numbers to the Denver Post but called it ‘spin,’ ” the newspaper reported, 'and implied that it's a common practice among political operatives.'

No, Mr. Leggitt, not 'spin.' Fudge.

Webster's dictionary defines the non-sweet term as 'put together dishonestly or carelessly; fake.' We agree. Fudge. Completely baloney."

Marshall, Gilmore, and political newcomer Bob Berry will fight for the Republican nomination next month at a convention.

The winner will face popular former Gov. Mark R. Warner, a Democrat.