Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Who is having more impact in 2012 race for Virginia?

Details

  • Description

    A look at intense battle for swing state

  • Duration 4:54
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Happening Now

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

-- your election headquarters in less than five weeks into the big day we're taking a close look at a key battleground state in the race for the White House today were taken a look at Virginia that's our Romney -- that's where the president -- today.

The president took the state in 2008.

I've Republicans carried Virginia intense -- elections Evans that points and that was I key election let's look at the state of Virginia you can see thirteen out at 207 electoral votes.

As we always mention every time every vote counts.

Bob McDonald the governor there the Republican was once thought it potentially is a vice presidential candidate.

He course he did not get that position but he is campaigning actively for Mitt Romney could take a look at the economy -- -- and -- and these these days to everybody.

The unemployment rate well below the national national rate which we know today's ten point 8% at five point 9%.

I also want to see the number of this is -- president since April has been there are ten times Romney nine but if you take a look at the total this is by the president since he was.

Elected president he's been to the state of Virginia 44.

44 times now he's close right Washington DC is closer that's probably easier to get to Virginia that some of these other swing states.

-- when we look at the polls you can see how close to me they -- virtually tied.

In Virginia and that's why we wanted to talk and so on the ground there Julian walker is a writer for the Virginian pilot.

He joins us from the state capital Richmond -- Julian do you think anything that happened in this debate this week changed the pole and anyway because the numbers we just showed.

Were taken before.

The debate and we have some real numbers to compare -- Well it's difficult to say because we haven't seen a lot of polling post debate.

The only poll that I've seen so far post debate as -- -- -- poll out today which actually has governor Romney up by one point.

Which is within the margin of error.

The race is tight in Virginia as you point out according to polling the vast majority of polls taken this year have shown President Obama ahead.

And many of them within the margin of error.

In mid to late September several poles including one commissioned by fox and other by the Washington Post and won by NBC.

Showed President Obama ahead and and seeming to widened his margin -- little bit outside the margin of error.

However as I noted there is that rest decent poll out today and that one has shown as a robo -- hope but that one -- -- governor Romney ahead by one point -- Rasmussen has been slightly divergent.

From some of the at a polling that's been done.

You really know your numbers -- and I mean these numbers tell us only so much as you mentioned and and being on the ground -- -- your thoughts on this with the appearances.

By both governor Romney the president deep into the seat often image the president 44 times as president.

I did these appearances but it really matter do you think they're really having an impact on the ground there.

Well it as you said earlier and they and they they excite the base.

Those people who are eager who are partisans on the Republican side of the democratic side.

Those the people that turn up to campaign appearances you noted the number of visits by both presidential nominees.

It is also important to note.

That.

Governor Romney chose Norfolk in August to roll out and introduce Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his running mate in addition when it the president.

Formally kicked off his reelection campaign in May he chose Virginia and Ohio to do his is -- introductory campaign rallies as well.

So that those two visits in and of themselves show the the priority that both men are placing on on this critical battleground state.

-- prison got that major foreign policy address in Virginia that in Iran is going to be giving.

On Monday -- taking a look at some live pictures there just really -- Julian what about turnout voter turnout it.

I read it Democrats turned out more than Republicans in presidential elections in Virginia that we take a look at -- the mid terms Republicans were pretty strong.

Which is voter turnout look like.

Well -- turnout is going to be key it will probably be decisive in this race.

In 2008 when when Barack Obama carried Virginia breaking a forty plus year streak of Republican wins.

On the presidential level.

He did so by getting very high -- there is about 75%.

Voter turnout in Virginia in 2008.

And in many of the kind of key.

Bellwether areas within Virginia in the so called urban crescent that spans from Northern Virginia through the Richmond region and down Hampton roads along the Atlantic coast.

Barack Obama did did well in a number of those key areas which have trended Republican and other elections.

And in the subsequent years you noted in 2009.

Governor Bob McDonnell.

Popular governor here in Virginia and one who has been -- key surrogate for for governor Romney.

Us led a Republican -- -- sweep but the offices and turnout in that year the year after the presidential election was down to about 40% and so turn out and and both parties getting their bases and their supporters to the polls.

That will probably be the decisive factor in Virginia -- -- on with your expertise Julian who really knows the state thank you so much for joining us look for to have -- back.

Thanks for having me.

Load More