October 17, 2009
Posted: October 17th, 2009 10:00 AM ET

From
Sen. John McCain is holding a rally with Bob McDonnell on Saturday.
Sen. John McCain is holding a rally with Bob McDonnell on Saturday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – As one of only two statewide campaigns in the 2009 election cycle, the Virginia governor's race has seen a parade of national political stars make the trip to the Old Dominion.

Late Friday, Creigh Deeds' campaign announced that President Obama would join the Democratic candidate on the trail at the end of the month. Obama's 2008 presidential rival will get there first: On Saturday, Sen. John McCain will make his second trip to Virginia on behalf of Republican candidate Bob McDonnell. McCain, a decorated Navy hero, will help McDonnell make a closing pitch to veterans at a rally in Hampton Roads, a region of the state with a heavy military population.

McCain isn't the only high-profile Republican who has stumped for the former Virginia Attorney General: Two other former presidential candidates - former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee - have twice visited the state twice to campaign. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani also raised money for McDonnell.

Along with Romney and Huckabee, McDonnell has welcomed a number of top Republicans who may run for president in 2012. That list includes Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, the chairman of the Republican Governors Association. Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele campaigned with McDonnell in May.

Creigh Deeds, who spent the first half of the year in a three-way fight for the Democratic nomination, hasn't had an army of national figures campaign with him. But several prominent Democrats have chipped in to help.

On Friday, former Vice President Al Gore held a fundraiser for Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds. And next week, former President Bill Clinton will appear at a rally for Deeds along with longtime Clinton friend Terry McAuliffe, who sought the Democratic nomination before losing to Deeds in June.

The party's leader, President Obama, will make his second trip to Virginia to lend a hand, the Deeds campaign announced Friday. The visit will be Obama's second on the trail for the gubernatorial candidate: he campaigned for Deeds and hosted a fundraiser for him in August Vice President Joe Biden and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, have both stumped for Deeds.

For a campaign thought by many to be a referendum of the Obama presidency, the election will largely turn by local issues - specifically transportation and the economy. Deeds has also tried to make the race about women's issues by highlighting a conservative thesis written by McDonnell in which he called working women "detrimental" to families.

Entering October, McDonnell held a significant cash advantage, with $4.5 million on hand to Deeds' $2.7 million.

– CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby contributed to this report

Filed under: Bill Clinton • Bob McDonnell • Creigh Deeds • Haley Barbour • John McCain • Mike Huckabee • Mitt Romney • President Obama • Rudy Giuliani • Vice President Biden


JIlli   October 17th, 2009 2:35 pm ET

John McCain draws crowds? Since when?

S M R   October 17th, 2009 1:47 pm ET

The GOP is HARMFUL TO AMERICA's future

S M R   October 17th, 2009 1:45 pm ET

Our Great Country needs to keep Democrats in the Majority of the House and Senate if we will ever recover from the FAILED POLICIES of the Bush/Cheney Administration

S M R   October 17th, 2009 1:27 pm ET

What is Bob McDonnell thinking? All these supporters like McCain, Huckabee,Romney and Giuliani voted for the Bush/Cheney failed policies 100% of the time and You think Voters will vote GOP. I THINK NOT!!!

buckwheat   October 17th, 2009 1:27 pm ET

If we want to change our government ,limit Senators to 1 term with no retirement and 2 years for House members with notbenefits except for the health plan they are about to pass. These jobs were not mean't to become what they have. These crooks are entrenched for life and they are deciding what your life will be. Google in Senate and House Perks if you want to know the truth of what your taxes are giving these leeches and the free ride they will do anything for.

buckwheat   October 17th, 2009 1:20 pm ET

I think everyone in the country should change their registration to the Democrat Party and screw up their polls. I have been registered Republican all of my life and have never been polled because they probably figured I had enough sense to make up my own mind about issues without having ACCORN Democrats telling me how to do it. Besides, being polled does not sound very comfortable since we have paid most of the bills all our working life and know what getting the shaft means.

Deuce   October 17th, 2009 1:19 pm ET

A Broken Government, is running a broken Country, and you still live the denial..

JonDie   October 17th, 2009 1:15 pm ET

Where is McDonnell's main mentor, Pat Robertson?

Pat Robertson said the people who were murdered on 9-11 deserved it.

Does McDonnell repudiate the vile comments of his mentor Pat Robertson?

harold   October 17th, 2009 12:53 pm ET

Hey..Mr. McConnell... What kiind of 12 proposals did you say you had to make?.... Reference your statement on radio about your 12 ..".....".....Proposals.......And you want to be Virginia's Governor and a Chistian one at that...After that foul language you used on radio?..... Kinda funny is it not?

Hammerer   October 17th, 2009 12:33 pm ET

What is our congress doing? 17% unemployment, $1.4 trillion deficit because of bailouts to Wall Street, GM & the unions,the AIG's of the banking industry, pay offs for political favors to the ALCORNS, and all they can think of is get elected and pass a $2 trillion hand out to the lazy for free healthcare.

We Won Get Over It   October 17th, 2009 12:31 pm ET

Lordy lordy if I lived in Virginia and all those two faced, greedy, lying crap spewing republicans descended on my state I'd head for the mountains til they slithered their way out...

annie against biased news   October 17th, 2009 12:25 pm ET

Who were the stars? Certainly not obama or mccain. McDonnell would have done much better to have had Gov. Palin.

LacrosseMom   October 17th, 2009 12:24 pm ET

WHY will Virginia elect a Republican? After EIGHT years of a GOP president and SEVEN years of a GOP controlled Congress........ how did that work for you, Virginia?

BLUE VIRGINIA!

mesa mattress   October 17th, 2009 12:09 pm ET

virignia is a very important state, because of its proximity to washington d.c. i went to school there, and what i learned about state politics was the following: whoever is the governor decides what kind of benefits businesses get during their administration. so, defense contracts, washington insider deals are made based on who is the governor. this is a very important race, and it has broad implications for the defense industry.

C. Farrell, Houston, Tx   October 17th, 2009 12:08 pm ET

Boy, they really do look like "Angry Old White Men". They could try a little tenderness during a photo op.

W l Jones   October 17th, 2009 12:02 pm ET

If the Viriginian know what good for their state they would run for the mountian...It might be safe up there.

Cr. Wa.   October 17th, 2009 11:54 am ET

No, No, No, not crash & burn, Get Meghan in her tank top and you will have better luck.

B   October 17th, 2009 11:52 am ET

McCain can’t even help himself let alone anyone else....

No more credibility.

Oy Vey   October 17th, 2009 11:40 am ET

I love off year campaigns ... the gathering of politicians resembles two flocks of posturing aggressive vultures hissing over the scraps of a not-quite-dead carcass.

Gregg   October 17th, 2009 11:33 am ET

Let all these "starts" of the GOP go there; the REAL star isn't, and THAT is going to cost him the election. But the stupid GOP establishment doesn't get it. Surprise, surprise.

carlos, THAT one   October 17th, 2009 11:28 am ET

political stars descend on virginia campaigns.......please don't tell me those two pathetic repugnants are polit. stars........CNN, pleaseeeeeeeeeeee

Jaxson   October 17th, 2009 11:13 am ET

The old, angry, white guys who make up the GOP just don't get it.

Keegan Nunley   October 17th, 2009 11:04 am ET

As a democrat I must say with deep dissapointment, the lack of jobs created will snatch power from the democrats whether health care reform gets passed or not. Along with the lackluster stimulus program, years of propoganda by the special interests has successfully confused americans into uncertainty about any kind of government envolment in health reform. By the time 2012 comes around anyone who is a democrat may consider moving to another country. Sadly politics is like trying to control the weather, we are at its mercy.

delia   October 17th, 2009 11:03 am ET

Deeds has already shot himself in the foot with his remark to a reporter – "I think I've made myself perfectly clear YOUNG LADY"
Condescending piece of garbage.
But Obama's appearance will be the kiss of death for Deeds.

A vote is SUPPOSED to be by the citizen..S Callahan   October 17th, 2009 11:00 am ET

So much for State's choice, or even local choice. This is what is getting really sickening' to the voters....and you pluggers just don't understand.......

ICARE   October 17th, 2009 11:00 am ET

The elephants left us 5 trillion dollars worth of debt, so please, dont put them back in power. It was in their hands, that everything crashed to the floor.

Australian Billionaire   October 17th, 2009 10:59 am ET

I am thinking of buying media outlets that will reach over 50% of Americans. For TV, I would eliminate fact checking and hire people who can make up sensational negative stories. The more ridiculous, the more people will tune in and believe it. I would build on people's fears. My purpose would be to move the direction of the US to the right, like China.

I think I will name my media group after a sly animal, maybe call it . . . coyote.

Glen Beck is king of the morons   October 17th, 2009 10:59 am ET

Call this the joke of the day?The two in this photo are more like dumb and dumber.hahaha

g ontario   October 17th, 2009 10:59 am ET

looks like the corperate. america first group with the trickle down work.s it,ll only take another 10 years

George   October 17th, 2009 10:56 am ET

Political "Stars"???

gary davis Harbor Oregon   October 17th, 2009 10:44 am ET

I see Bonner in the back drop with McCain shouldn't he be at a tanning booth or at the liers club

gary davis Harbor Oregon   October 17th, 2009 10:43 am ET

loosers pitching for loosers..

pretty much sums it up

fire it up ready to go

victim of republican greed   October 17th, 2009 10:41 am ET

As a wingnut, Bob McDonnell is wrong for Virginia

Erik in Real Pennsylvania   October 17th, 2009 10:27 am ET

Let's see....McDonnell counts on the winning images of McCain, Huckabee and Romney to help is campaign? Aaaahahahahahahaha!

Flo   October 17th, 2009 10:25 am ET

I pedict Deeds will be victorious in VA race for governor. McDonnell was too smooth and controlled during his debate and I don't think this man is telling the truth. Creigh Deeds seems genuine and is the better candidate. Can't wait for Nov 3, this is going to be a nail bitter waiting for results.

W. Spivey   October 17th, 2009 10:22 am ET

John please go back to Arizona and retire. You have outlived your usefulness if you ever had any.

chubby   October 17th, 2009 10:12 am ET

Can you say CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN. In November, Virginia will elect a Republican Governor and the race will be on to remove as many of the tax and spend demorats as possible. Now this is the type of change we need and in 2012 the White House will be returned to a Conservative and hopefully we can fix this mess nobama has fouled up. No wonder he did not get the Nobel for Economics.

GI Joe   October 17th, 2009 10:05 am ET

Who is that orange man standing beside McSongbird?

GI Joe   October 17th, 2009 10:04 am ET

You mean Sara and Rush aren't in Virginia stirring up the hate? What happened?

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