Former President Barack Obama is set to hit the campaign trail with Terry McAuliffe, hoping to boost the Democrat in the final stretch of the Virginia gubernatorial race.
Mr. Obama is scheduled to headline an event on Oct. 23 in Richmond for Mr. McAuliffe, who is locked in a tight race with Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin.
The appearance will mark Mr. Obama’s first return to the campaign trail since the 2020 presidential race. The former president also rallied Democrats in Richmond in 2017, before Ralph Northam beat Republican gubernatorial nominee Ed Gillespie.
He is following other high-profile Democrats in working to boost Mr. McAuliffe, who is trying to win a second, nonconsecutive term as governor.
The Nov. 2 contest is being viewed as a possible bellwether for the 2022 midterm elections, in which Democrats will be seeking to defend control of the House and Senate.
First lady Jill Biden is set to visit Virginia on Friday. Stacey Abrams, the voting rights activist and former Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate, will campaign with Mr. McAuliffe in Norfolk and Northern Virginia on Sunday.
Mr. McAuliffe also stumped with President Biden in July. The president has not announced plans to return.
Mr. McAuliffe served as governor from 2014 to 2018. Virginia bars governors from serving consecutive terms.
• This article is based in part on wire-service reports.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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