State Sen. Creigh Deeds closed his final rally in the Virginia governor’s race on a hopeful note, telling a few hundred supporters gathered in Alexandria last night the only poll that matters is taken today between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.
But in a less-than-inspirational aside, Deeds (D-VA) also said he was encouraged by the results in his local Bath County high school mock election.
“That’s a precursor to this election — we’re on our way baby,” Deeds said, to laughter.
Deeds backers told the crowd they know Deeds is behind by double digits but they “are hearing something different” in the calls they make to get-out-the-vote.
It was also Obamatime, as each speaker urged voters to “remember how it felt” when Barack Obama held his final rally in Manassas, Virginia the night before capturing the state and the presidency.
Delegate David Englin asked voters to “keep believing” and “drag, cajole, haul and do everything you need to do to get people to the polls.”
Deeds aides said privately they believe their only chance is to get every single Obama voter to the polls and hope that Bob McDonnell’s (R-VA) voters are overconfident and stay home.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) wouldn’t offer any predictions but told TPMDC he was “optimistic.”
Here’s the crowd last night from my angle. There were another 200 or so people to the left:
Attorney general candidate Steve Shannon told the crowd there were 600,000 new voters who registered for Obama last year and suggested people need to hope they return today.
Deeds offered the same line and lauded the 74 percent turnout in the historic presidential election in Virginia. “If we could get close to those numbers …” he said, going on to quote from John F. Kennedy’s “Profiles in Courage.”
But for all the Democrats bemoaning the over-focus on McDonnell’s thesis, several on stage hadn’t gotten the memo.
Delegate Ken Plum implored the crowd to reject “the most conservative ticket” in the state’s history. “Do not bring embarrassment to Virginia,” he said.
Delegate Dave Marsden added, “Bob McDonnell isn’t going to introduce his thesis in the form of bills, but I know who will, and I know who is going to sign ’em.”
I shot some video of Deeds coming onstage and using the mock election as a jumping off point.
Late update: We made a highlight reel of the other speakers at the rally, including Warner and Sen. Jim Webb:
