Democrats rally in morning, Republicans rally in afternoon in Roanoke

3:55 p.m.

By Meagan Farley
WSLS Anchor

Hundreds showed up to the Landmark Aviation terminal at Roanoke Regional Airport Monday afternoon to see the Republican ticket, on its air tour of the state on the final day of campaigning.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell said even though polls show him with a comfortable lead, nothing is over until the polls close Tuesday night.  McDonnell told the crowd, “If you continue to work hard in these next 29 hours we will have a great victory for the roanoke valley and a win in virginia tomorrow night.“

Current Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, who is running for re-election, and Attorney General candidate Ken Cuccinelli joined McDonnell in Roanoke, and on his seven region tour.

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Noon

By Jarett Henshaw
WSLS Digital Journalist

Virginia’s Democratic ticket kicked-off its final day of campaigning in Roanoke Monday morning.

Governor Tim Kaine (D) led Democratic gubernatorial nominee Creigh Deeds out to a roaring crowd of about 150 people, outside old fire station one in Downtown Roanoke, around 8:30 a.m.

The Governor said he’s confident that Deeds will be Virginia’s next governor, because Democrats have a history of comeback victories.  Kaine said Mark Warner, himself, and U.S. Senator Jim Webb were all way behind in the polls at one point during their campaign, and they all came back to win.

Deeds then took the podium, and thanked the crowd for their support.  Deeds then said the next 36 hours is the most important, because he needs all of their help to win.

Deeds spoke to reporters about President Barack Obama’s support, despite Deed’s opposition with some of the President’s positions.  Deeds said he thinks the President’s support will be helpful, and that respectful people can disagree.  Deeds said his doesn’t agree with the current cap and trade bill being discussed, and Deeds said he also disagrees with card check legislation.

The Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Jody Wagner, as well as Attorney General candidate Steve Shannon also joined Deeds and Kaine this morning.  Both trail their Republican opponents by double digits in the polls.

The Republican ticket is due to fly into Roanoke’s Landmark Aviation terminal around 1:30 p.m.

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7:53 a.m.

By WSLS News Staff

Democratic candidate for Governor, Creigh Deeds will be Roanoke Monday morning.

Deeds will be joined by Governor Tim Kaine, candidate for Lieutenant Governor Jody Wagner and candidate for Attorney General Steve Shannon for a campaign event at Fire Station No. 1 on East Church Avenue at 8:30 a.m.

Republican candidate, Bob McDonnell will be in Roanoke afternoon.

McDonnell will be joined by Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, and State Senator Ken Cuccinelli, Republican candidate for Attorney General for a rally at the Roanoke Landmark Aviation Terminal at 1:30 p.m.

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7:13 a.m.

By Media General News Service

Democrat R. Creigh Deeds took his campaign to Hampton Roads yesterday, while Republican Bob McDonnell flew around the state in late efforts to drive up turnout in a contest that has taken on national significance.

Virginia and New Jersey are the only states holding elections for governor tomorrow. Those contests, and a special election for a congressional seat in upstate New York, are getting national attention because they are the first major contests after President Barack Obama’s election last year.

Virginia has become a swing state, said Dan Palazzolo, political scientist at the University of Richmond. If, as polls indicate, the Republicans sweep Virginia’s three statewide races, a year after the state voted for Obama, “it will send a message that maybe government is getting too big, that maybe more taxes, more government and more debt is not the way to revive the economy,“ he said.

“It will be interesting to see how Sens. [Mark R.] Warner and [Jim] Webb react,“ Palazzolo added, referring to the state’s two Democratic senators who have yet to commit themselves on health care and other Obama policy initiatives.

Virginia’s national significance was highlighted last week when Obama went to Norfolk to stump for Deeds, while Republican Party headliners, including potential presidential candidates Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Haley Barbour, were in Virginia to campaign for the GOP ticket.

Obama did not return to Virginia after the visit Tuesday but made two campaign stops yesterday in New Jersey, where Gov. Jon S. Corzine, a Democrat, is fighting to hold onto his seat in a tough three-way battle.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, Obama’s handpicked chairman of the Democratic National Committee, has campaigned in Virginia and New Jersey in the campaigns’ waning hours.

McDonnell, the GOP candidate for governor, and his ticket-mates, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli, the candidate for attorney general, began yesterday in Chesapeake, before flying across the state to airport rallies in Tazewell, Weyers Cave and Winchester and a rally at the Leesburg campaign office.

Deeds and his running mates, Jody Wagner, seeking the lieutenant governor’s position, and Stephen C. Shannon, running for attorney general, spent the day in Hampton Roads. They traveled with Kaine and Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-3rd, from Hampton, to Norfolk, to Virginia Beach, back to Hampton and to Newport News.

In a brief phone interview, Deeds said no one was discouraged by polls showing the three Republicans with double-digit leads but were encouraged by his message.

“I’m the guy with a plan to create jobs, to bring people together, improve the quality of life and fix transportation,“ he said.

Using volunteers, the Democrats planned to knock on 375,000 doors during the closing days and make more than 700,000 get-out-the-vote phone calls.

McDonnell, encountering better weather as he flew west, said “we have a great chance to win,“ but that it still comes down to the grass-roots efforts on Election Day.

“We have a tough economy,“ he added. “We have to encourage jobs creation and entrepreneurship and find ways to improve education.“

Tomorrow’s election will have a much smaller electorate than the presidential electorate. Typically, fewer than half of Virginia’s registered voters cast ballots in an election for governor. Seventy-four percent voted last year, so there likely will be more than 1 million fewer votes cast tomorrow in the state.

Virginia has more than 5 million registered voters. About 3.7 million voted last year.

The weather may cooperate after days of rain. Dry conditions are expected tomorrow throughout most of the state.