Obama campaigns for Democrat facing uphill Virginia race
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It ain’t over until it’s over, President Barack Obama reminded voters in Virginia as he campaigned for a Democratic candidate trailing in most polls in one of the most watched races in an off-year election.
Obama went to Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., to support Creigh Deeds, running against Republican Bob McDonnell for governor. Incumbent Tim Kaine has been termed out.
“So I’m urging you to cast aside the cynics and the skeptics and anyone who says this race is as good as over,” Obama told the crowd. “Because the final word doesn’t belong to them – it belongs to you. And nobody knows that better than I do.”
Obama carried Virginia, which no Democrat had won in a presidential election since 1964. He received 52% of the vote.
Virgina and New Jersey are two governor’s races that are being closely watched to see if Democrats’ popularity is fading. Also on the radar screen is a congressional district in Upstate New York, where a Democrat is running against a more liberal Republican and a conservative. Obama has backed Democrats in each race.
On the flight from Florida, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs defended the effort to elect Deeds but pointed out the difficulties.
“I think everybody understands that ... Virginia is probably as purple as it can get,” Gibbs said aboard Air Force One, “given the fact that it’s been in the red column for so long.”
“I think if you look at our level of support combined with what the DNC has done, I think we are – we’re very comfortable with the level of – the big level of support that the Democratic Party provided with the help also of the vice president.”
The election is Nov. 3.
– Michael Muskal
Follow me on Twitter at @LATimesmuskal
