President Barack Obama is preparing for a weekend trip to Virginia to campaign with Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe in the state's race for governor, USA TODAY reported.
According to a report the The Associated Press, an aide for McAuliffe said Obama will arrive on Sunday for an event in northern Virginia.
McAuliffe, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, holds a strong lead in polls over Republican candidate Ken Cuccinelli, attorney general of Virginia.
A new Washington Post/Abt SRBI poll shows McAuliffe at 51 percent compared to Cuccinelli's 39 percent.
Both are competing for the spot to replace Republican Governor Bob McDonnell.
In addition to the president, both First Lady Michelle Obama and former president Bill Clinton have campaigned on his behalf.
Pat Mullins, chairman of the Virginia Republican Party, criticized Obama's upcoming appearance at the McAuliffe rally, which marks the beginning of a six-week campaign tour he'll complete for Democrats across the U.S.
"It's shocking that President Obama would even consider campaigning for an individual whose business is embroiled in two separate federal investigations. If President Obama does stump for McAuliffe, it will demonstrate one resounding similarity between the two: it's all politics, all the time, regardless of the consequences," Mullins said.
On Monday, Cuccinelli appeared with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and will meet with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal on Tuesday. When he heard of Obama's plan to campaign with his opponent, he released a critical statement.
"The move makes official what we have already known to be true: McAuliffe's unwavering support for the president's signature legislative achievement, Obamacare," Cuccinelli said. "As governor, I will continue to do everything in my power to stop the law from exacerbating the uncertainty already felt by our job creators and leading to fewer options and more expensive health care for middle-class Virginia families."
