When Democratic gubernatorial nominee Creigh Deeds started a push into the state’s rural stretches three months ago, the campaign believed it had a candidate who could not only offset damage in the traditionally Republican areas, but actually win them.

A day before voters head to the polls, those regions remain just as essential for the Democratic nominee, but increasingly appear to be slipping through his fingers. Deeds, with a series of rural campaign stops over the weekend, signaled that he couldn’t afford to let Republican Bob McDonnell score heavily in back roads counties.