Nearly every 2020 Democrat has signed the Down-Ballot Pledge to support Democrats running in down-ballot races across the country. With Democrats in striking distance of flipping both the House of Delegates and State Senate, having the resources and media attention that come from the national spotlight could be a game-changer as Democrats try to persuade and turn out every last voter. So who’s doing their part?
The most recent 2020 Democrat to visit Virginia was Senator Cory Booker, who came to Woodbridge to launch a canvass for Delegate Hala Ayala (HD-51). His campaign also hosted the event on his MobilizeAmerica page, where his Virginia supporters could sign up for the canvass.
Beto O’Rourke has made multiple trips to Virginia – on his most recent Labor Day swing, he launched a canvass for Dan Helmer (HD-40) and campaigned alongside Delegate Chris Hurst (HD-12) and Amy Laufer (SD-17).
Earlier in the summer, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Amy Klobuchar visited Virginia to headline the Blue Commonwealth Gala, one of the Virginia Democratic Party’s biggest fundraising events of the year. Having a well-funded state party has been key for Democrats this year, as the party’s Take the Majority 2019 digital campaign is one of the key drivers of the Democratic digital spending advantage that opened up in August.
Elizabeth Warren lent her own endorsement to Hala Ayala in July and held a town hall at George Mason University in May.
Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden hasn’t made any public appearances in Virginia, but he did hold a fundraiser in Richmond at the end of August.
As the final month of the campaign comes into focus, Democrats in key swing districts will need all the resources and media attention they can get. We hope to see more 2020 Democrats lend their spotlight to Democrats in the Commonwealth in the closing weeks of the campaign. |