By Kristin O’Donoghue
Virginia’s November 2 gubernatorial election is rapidly approaching, and the two campaigns are ramping up their efforts to energize voters. Last Sunday, Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe hosted a star-studded get-out-the-vote rally at the Ting Pavilion. Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams spoke alongside McAuliffe and DNC chair Jaime Harrison, while Dave Matthews played an acoustic set for the hundreds who had gathered.
Glenn Youngkin will wrap up a 10-day “Win for Glenn” bus tour on October 28. Youngkin has held a number of meet and greets at inns, restaurants, and convention centers, especially in rural areas. The bus tour did not include a stop in Charlottesville, a Democratic stronghold.
McAuliffe also held an event with former president Barack Obama in Richmond on Saturday. “You can’t run, telling me you’re a regular old hoops-playing, dish-washing, fleece-wearing guy, but quietly cultivate support from those who seek to tear down our democracy,” Obama said of Youngkin.
In Charlottesville on Sunday, Harrison told the crowd that “Virginia is a blueprint for so many other states. That only happened because of the leadership in the governor’s mansion and at the state house.”
The DNC committed $5 million to Virginia, a testament to just how significant the upcoming race is.
Introduced by Harrison as the “Energizer Bunny of American politics,” McAuliffe hopped on stage to talk about his “proven leadership.”
He highlighted a few achievements from his time in office, including the restoration of voting rights to those who had committed a felony, and his efforts to protect women’s reproductive freedom.
In reference to abortion rights, McAuliffe said, “This is no longer a talking point. This is real.”
Abrams—the first Black woman in American history to be nominated by a major party to run for governor—underscored the important role that young people and people of color play in Democratic politics, though the gathered crowd was predominantly middle-aged and white.
“The commonwealth has the power to set the course of this nation for the next decade,” Abrams said.
When asked what might motivate young people to vote for someone they might perceive as yet another establishment candidate, Harrison talked about the ways in which McAuliffe represents progress for young people and for the nation.“What young people want is the freedom to be able to live their American dream…We don’t need neanderthals like Glenn Youngkin to drag us back into some bygone time.”
All the speakers warned against the “radical Republicans” who, if elected, would roll back all the progress the state has made in recent decades.
“There is such a profound threat to our democracy, and we’ve got to show up for Terry to change the future for the better,” Matthews said before ginning up the crowd with a performance that included his hits “Mercy” and “Bartender.”
“The Avengers are not coming in November,” said Harrison. “It’s up to all of you.”
Addressing the young people in the crowd, Abrams pleaded: “Don’t let us screw this up.”