Obama to Rally with Spanberger as Virginia Race Comes to a Close

By: Leyah Jackson

Former President Barack Obama is making an appearance in Norfolk, VA, at the rally of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger. The rally will take place on Old Dominion University’s campus, at Chartway Arena on Sat. Nov. 1. 

The announcement of Former President Obama’s appearance came just a week after his endorsement of Abigail Spanberger. 

“This is just the next signal that indicates that Virginia is a battleground state,” said Phaedra Hyche, a fourth year political science major. “We’ve been purple for years, and this is just another indicator of the fact that the Democratic Party is waking up to the fact that Virginia will become the next Pennsylvania.”

Spanberger formerly served in the CIA and as representative for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District. Her opponent, Republican Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, is a retired marine. 

According to AP News, Obama said, “Virginia’s elections are some of the most important in the country this year, and I am proud to endorse Abigail Spanberger for Governor… Republican policies are raising costs on working families so billionaires can get massive tax cuts.”

Earle-Sears and Spanberger are vying for the seat of Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who is term limited, as Virginia’s constitution only allows governors to serve one four-year term.

“I doubt that Obama’s presence will make Winsome Earle-Sears change her tactics. She’s clearly being thrown to the wolves in this election, so I doubt anything about her strategy will change”, said Hyche.

On Tuesday, Fox 5 Washington DC reported Spanberger to be leading Earle-Sears by 7 points in a poll done by Christopher Newport University. Spanberger has based her campaign around affordability and lowering the cost of living for Virginians. 

“These are attacks on Virginians and on our economy, and we need a governor who will stand up against them,” Spanberger said last week at a campaign rally in Charlottesville to Politico . 

As the home to many government workers, Virginia has been disproportionately impacted by the recent government shutdown and changes within the federal government.