Kaine Heads West for Obama

Virginia may be a key battleground in this year's presidential race, but Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) will turn his attention this weekend to helping to shore up Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) presidential campaign in the Rocky Mountains.

Kaine will headline events for Obama Sunday in Colorado, another fiercely contested state in Obama's race against GOP nominee John McCain. Kaine will then travel to Phoenix to be the keynote speaker at the Arizona Democratic Party "Hall of Fame" dinner Sunday evening.

Coming less than one month before the election, some Democrats may question whether it's smart for Kaine to spend time in another state instead of stumping for Obama or Democratic congressional candidates in Virginia.

But Kaine and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D), who is hosting the Democratic fundraiser in Phoenix, have developed a good relationship because they were both early Obama supporters. Kaine also speaks Spanish and Hispanics are a big voting bloc in Colorado and Arizona.