Friday, Oct. 9, 2009

Good morning and happy Friday everyone. Here's what's happening in politics around the state today.

Big news. The Washington Post released a new poll showing that Republican Bob McDonnell has widened his lead over Democrat Creigh Deeds. The entire GOP ticket is up by a hefty nine points.

The poll shows a lack of enthusiasm among many voters who elected President Obama last year and raises questions for the Democrats as they head into the 2010 mid-term elections. Democrats continue to wonder what Deeds's message will be and what the White House's role will be in the remaining weeks of the campaign.

Deeds will be a guest on Mark Plotkin's radio show on WTOP at 10 a.m. Listen here. Tonight, he'll join fans at the Riverbend High football game in Fredericksburg.

McDonnell will attend the Patrick County Rally with former U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode in Stuart and the Greater Richmond Urban League of Young Professionals candidate's forum tonight.

Vice President Joe Biden appeared at a fundraiser for R. Creigh Deeds today and simply gushed about the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, whose possibly strained relationship with the White House has been the talk of Virginia politicos of late. He said Deeds could yet win his race against Robert F. McDonnell (R) despite the gloomy poll numbers.

"I hope to God you understand this race is winnable," Biden said toward the end of his remarks. "I was told another good friend of mine running for governor in another state, they declared him dead two weeks ago. He is now ahead. We are going to win that race." He was referring to New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D), who is in a tight race with Republican Chris Christie.

Speaking to a group of about 70 Deeds contributors at the elegant, riverside home of a Fairfax County backer, Biden -- who met Deeds once before at a campaign event for the gubernatorial hopeful in Richmond -- said he believed him to be a sincere and trustworthy man. He said he would come out to Virginia to campaign for him again, repeatedly if necessary, before Election Day.

Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009

Good morning everyone. Here's what's happening in politics around the state today.

Vice President Joe Biden returns to Virginia for a second time to help Democrat Creigh Deeds raise some cash at a mid-day event in Alexandria. It's a busy fundraising day for Deeds. Tonight, he appears with Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley at the Potomac home of lobbyist Barbara Goldberg Goldman.

Republican Bob McDonnell will discuss plans to aid senior citizens at the Herndon Senior Center. Yes, McDonnell is still rolling out policy proposals less than four weeks before the big day.

Questions continue to arise about Deeds's negative message and whether he can make his case to voters in the last month of the race -- with or without help from President Obama.

The Wall Street Journal weighs into the Virginia governor's race for the second day in a row. This time, the paper reports on the Deeds campaign's formation of 60 book clubs to talk about McDonnell's graduate thesis.

Details are starting to emerge about Vice President Joe Biden's work for Creigh Deeds on Oct. 8. Biden will be headlining a Deeds fundraiser at a private home in Alexandria that morning.

According to an invitation for the event, tickets for a special host reception go for $2,400 a person, and general reception tickets will cost $1,000 a head.

The event will be held at the home of Shaista and Rafat Mahmood. Rafat Mahmood's an investor who originally supported Brian Moran for the Democratic nomination.

Biden previously hosted a Deeds fundraiser at a Richmond home.

Vice President Joe Biden will travel to Virginia next week to campaign with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds.

Biden and Deeds will appear at a fundraiser together Thursday in Richmond at the home of Leon and Lisa Roday. Leon Roday is a senior vice president at Genworth Financial.

Sen. Joe Biden, accompanied by his wife, Jill, will make his final campaign stop of the presidential election in Virginia tomorrow.

Biden will stop in the Richmond area on Election Day to meet voters in person, ask for their support and urge them to get out and vote.

Campaign officials say they will not release details of the stop so that "the Bidens can meet with voters informally and without interrupting important get out the vote activities."

It will be the 17th trip made by either Sen. Barack Obama or Biden.

The vice presidential candidates are coming back.

U.S. Sen. Joe Biden (D) will hold rallies Friday at the Danville Community Market and Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville and Saturday at Nansemond River High School in Suffolk. It's his fifth trip to the state.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) will campaign Monday at J.R.'s Festival Lakes in Leesburg, Hurkamp Park in Fredericksburg and the Salem Civic Center. It's her third trip to the state..

Republican presidential nominee John McCain's campaign is holding a flurry of campaign events in Virginia today, perhaps in response to yet another visit to the state by Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

Events will take place in Prince William, Loudoun, Greene and Henrico counties and will include appearances by Joe McCain, McCain's brother; Jeffrey Frederick, state GOP chairman; Paul Galanti, a former prisoner of war; U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf; and Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board, among others.

Obama is holding a rally in Newport News today. His running mate, Joe Biden, will appear in Roanoke and suburban Richmond tomorrow.

See the list of McCain campaign events below:

Sen. Joe Biden will headline a community gathering Sunday in Roanoke, and will then hold a similiar event in Henrico County, to tout Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's plan to turn around the economy.

Biden, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, will appear at Century Park Plaza at 12:30 p.m. He will then appear at J.R. Tucker High School in Henrico County in suburban Richmond at 5 p.m.

Biden will talk about creating jobs by investing $150 billion over 10 years in clean energy technology, cutting taxes for middle class families and lowering health care costs.

In the last two weeks, Biden has appeared with Obama in Fredericksburg and has also campaigned in Woodbridge, Loudoun County and the annual United Mine Workers Fish Fry in Russell.

Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will hold a rally Saturday in Fredericksburg.

The Democratic presidential and vice presidential nominees will be at University of Mary Washington at 5:15 p.m. to talk about the economy, healthcare and the Iraq war.

It will be the first time Obama and Biden have appeared together in Virginia.