Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney looked to cash in Wednesday in a meeting with wealthy donors from Northern Virginia and with a little help from Gov. Bob McDonnell.
Romney held a high-end fundraiser at The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Arlington as part of a two-day swing through the state that included a stop Wednesday in Chantilly. He and McDonnell will appear together Thursday in Portsmouth.
McDonnell joined Romney in Arlington, his first event with the former Massachusetts governor since the GOP contest all but ended last month with the exit of former Sen. Rick Santorum. McDonnell is considered a potential vice presidential running mate for Romney and Romney’s appearance in Virginia is considered an audition of sorts for the popular governor of a crucial battleground state.
Romney and McDonnell avoided media before the fundraiser in Arlington.
The trip to Virginia comes just days before President Obama is scheduled to officially launch his campaign Saturday in Richmond. The White House announced Wednesday that Obama would make an official trip Friday to an Arlington high school.
Virginia is a prime battleground state and the two candidates are expected to spend a lot of time competing for it.
Romney’s campaign looked to capitalize on comments Obama made this week at a pro-labor rally that denounced right-to-work laws in states like Virginia.
“It’s just incredible he would attack our right-to-work laws when it’s such a fundamental part of our business climate,” said Del. Barbara Comstock, R-McLean, a Romney supporter attending Wednesday’s fundraiser.
