WASHINGTON — The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is inviting Virginia’s Republican General Assembly candidates in competitive races to attend a rally with Vice President Mike Pence this Saturday, just three days before the commonwealth’s elections.
“The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is excited to welcome Mike Pence, whose national approval ratings are deep underwater, to the commonwealth of Virginia — which has not voted for a Republican in a decade,” DLCC press secretary Matt Harringer said. “We hope every Virginia Republican in a competitive race will attend the rally and join hands with their party’s right-wing leader ahead of Tuesday’s crucial elections.”
The rally, hosted by the DLCC’s counterpart the Republican State Leadership Committee, will be in Hampton Roads, where there are eight competitive House seats and two competitive Republican-held Senate seats up for grabs on Tuesday — more than enough to flip both chambers of the General Assembly blue.
So far, none of the Republican candidates in competitive races have publicly confirmed they will attend the rally with Pence. Republican candidates interested in attending can RSVP here.
“It’s unclear if local Republicans actually think Vice President Pence will be helpful or if the Washington-based RSLC is forcing his presence on them in exchange for funding their campaigns,” said DLCC press secretary Matt Harringer. “The RSLC is placing their candidates in an awkward position — stuck between their true love of Trump and the administration’s dismal approval ratings in the state.”
Pence’s last-minute rally follows months of high-profile visits from Democratic presidential candidates across the commonwealth. Republicans have not invited Trump to Virginia and the president has been silent on the General Assembly elections, despite often tweeting about other 2019 races.
“Republicans wish they had a popular presidential candidate to stump in Virginia, but Donald Trump is so toxic they’ve built a wall at the Potomac to keep him out,” Harringer said. “Trump lost Virginia in 2016, his unpopularity fueled Democratic enthusiasm in 2017, and next week, we’re going to finish flipping the commonwealth blue with Vice President Pence’s help.”
A list of Hampton Roads Republicans reporters can look for at the rally:
- Senator Bill DeSteph
- Delegate Chris Jones
- Delegate Chris Stolle
- Delegate David Yancey
- Delegate Glenn Davis
- Delegate Rob Bloxom
- House Candidate Colleen Holcomb
- House Candidate Rocky Holcomb
- House Candidate Shannon Kane
- Senate Candidate Jen Kiggans
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