Campaign 2013: Hillary Clinton Stumps for Terry McAuliffe in Virginia Governor’s Race

With Election Day in Virginia less than three weeks away, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton brought her star power to Northern Virginia Saturday afternoon, campaigning with family friend Terry McAuliffe before a boisterous crowd sprinkled with local Democrats, soundly endorsing him in his second bid for the Virginia governor’s office. The former DNC chair and businessman lost the 2009 Democratic primary to Creigh Deeds, who lost the general election to Republican Bob McDonnell.

She was introduced by McAuliffe, 56, who told the crowd: "We must expand healthcare, we must invest in education, we must protect voting rights for all Virginians!" He was surrounded by supporters at the “Women for Terry” event, including his wife Dorothy McAuliffe, Latinos Con Terry member Leni Gonzalez and Prince William County science teacher Kellie Blair Hardt.

They made their remarks to a packed room of hundreds of supporters at The State Theatre, a movie house built in 1936 now used mainly as a nightclub for rock concerts, in Falls Church. The first film to be shown there? Thanks a Million, about a man who, on a lark, runs for governor and wins. The City of Falls Church, population 13,229, is solidly Democratic, with 65 percent of the vote in 2009 going for Deeds over winner Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell.

A poll out Friday by NBC4/NBC News/Marist shows McAuliffe leading in the race by 8 points, 46 percent to 38 percent, against his Republican challenger Ken Cuccinelli, the commonwealth’s attorney general. When it comes to female voters in Virginia, McAuliffe’s lead widens by 20 points, leading 52 percent to Cuccinelli’s 32 percent. Libertarian Robert Sarvis garnered 9 points in the poll.

A Washington Post story published Friday delved into possible apathy by younger women voters in Northern Virginia who don’t seem to care or be knowledgeable about the election or the issues. Could it spell trouble for McAuliffe?

Women’s issues were the main topic Saturday. On McAuliffe’s campaign Web site, he states that “divisive efforts by politicians to interfere with decisions better made by women and their doctors are bad for Virginia families and bad for business. We can’t put up walls or send the signal that Virginia is moving backwards on important issues like women’s health.”

Saturday, McAullife said: "As governor, I would veto any legislation that restricts birth control."

Falls Church is home to the Falls Church Medical Center, an abortion clinic that filed a lawsuit against Virginia to fight stricter regulations forcing existing clinics to meet the same architectural requirements as new hospitals. Virginia’s Board of Health, backed by Attorney General Cuccinelli, had asked the court to throw out the case. But a judge last week said appellate courts should decide the matter in a full hearing. 

Republican gubernatorial candidate Cuccinelli is bringing star power of his own to Virginia as Election Day nears, campaigning with former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee Saturday in Lynchburg and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul Oct. 28 in Fairfax.

The Clintons, who have been close with McAuliffe for years, are pulling out all the stops in helping McAuliffe get elected. Politico notes that Hillary Clinton will attend a fundraiser Saturday night in McLean for McAuliffe. Former President Bill Clinton will headline a fundraiser Oct. 28 for McAuliffe, also in McLean, at the home of Martha and Dwight Schar, according to Politico. Schar, founder of homebuilder NVAR Inc. and a part owner of the Washington Redskins, has flipped sides (he is a former finance chairman for the Republican National Committee). On Oct. 30, Hillary Clinton headlines a Beverly Hills luncheon fundraiser for McAuliffe, at $25,000 per couple.

McAuliffe and Cuccinelli will meet for a final debate Thursday in Blacksburg at Virginia Tech University. Libertarian candidate Sarvis, who was not invited to the debate, will also be on the ballot Nov. 5.