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Biden Campaigns For McAuliffe In Virginia

Michael Pope

President Joe Biden is on the campaign trail in Virginia.

Michael Pope was there as he rallied state Democrats.

Making his first political appearance since taking office, President Joe Biden hit the campaign trail stumping for Terry McAuliffe Friday night in Arlington.

The president says McAuliffe created a new Virginia economy that remains strong today because of what he did when he was governor.  "Folks, on his watch as governor last time the Virginia economy boomed," Biden told the crowd.  "200,000 jobs created and unemployment went down in every single county including rural Virginia by nearly 50 percent."

McAuliffe and Biden have a long history together, and that's a relationship that the former governor says will be beneficial to Virginia if he's back in the Executive Mansion.  "Can you imagine what we can get done for Virginia with Joe Biden as president and I'm back as governor," McAuliffe asked? "Let me tell you folks this state is going to take off like a booster rocket."

At one point, Biden cracked that he whipped Donald Trump in Virginia and so will McAuliffe — referring to the Trump endorsement of Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin.

So far, Trump has not held a rally in Virginia for Youngkin. But the Democrats at this rally are really hoping that will happen because that’s a contrast they want heading into the November election.

Michael Pope is an author and journalist who lives in Old Town Alexandria.