The news that Democratic President Barack Obama planned to stop by Charlottesville, Virginia, today to campaign for the 5th District’s Democratic freshman Rep. Tom Perriello was met with cheers from Perriello supporters as well as supporters of his Republican opponent, State Sen. Robert Hurt.
After Obama’s disastrous results campaigning for Democrats in 2009, the question begged to be asked: Did Obama (or Perriello) think an appearance would help? After all, Obama campaigned last fall for the Democratic opponent of current Virginia Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell, and McDonnell went on to win by historic proportions as he led a top-three GOP sweet of the Commonwealth. Obama also campaigned in 2009 for the Democratic opponent of NJ’s Gov. Chris Christie, and Republican Christie went on to win.
Barack Obama is not popular in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District, as revealed in a recent Roanoke College poll that showed Obama’s approval rating at 34% while Gov. Bob McDonnell enjoyed 60% approval. The poll, released on October 18, showed the congressional race at Hurt 46%, Perriello 40%, with 1% for independent Jeffrey Clark and 13% undecided.
Some have suggested the Obama campaign stop in Charlottesville is a sign of desperation on Perriello’s behalf after months of trailing in the polls behind Hurt. Others have wondered if a recent Democratic poll showing the race had tightened was behind this last-ditch effort from the White House. Irregardless of the reason, liberal groups are pouring money into Perriello’s campaign hoping to save the seat.
Perriello voted almost 90% of the time with the Democrats while supporting Obama’s stimulus bill, cap and trade, and voting twice for ObamaCare. Even though the liberal college town of Charlottesville anchors the 5th District, much of the area is rural and conservative. With many constituents unhappy that Perriello supported so much of the Democratic agenda, the Hurt campaign continued to remind citizens of Perriello’s liberal voting record. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch:
Hurt campaign spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg said that Obama’s visit “will further solidify the idea in the minds of voters that Congressman Perriello has been nothing more than a lap dog for the job killing Obama-Pelosi agenda, representing their interests, not the interests of Central and Southside Virginians.”
Meanwhile, Charlottesville is locking down for the President’s arrival this afternoon, and a counter-rally is planned for Charlottesville’s Lee Park by the Virginia chapter of Americans for Prosperity, the fiscally conservative grassroots organization that Obama has specifically attacked during several speeches while campaigning for Democrats throughout the country.
