President Joe Biden is returning to the campaign trail for Terry McAuliffe in the close race for governor of Virginia.
McAuliffe's campaign announced Thursday that Biden will join McAuliffe, the Democratic candidate, at an event Tuesday evening in Arlington. It will be Biden's second appearance for McAuliffe after a rally in July, also in Arlington, the densely populated county outside Washington that skews heavily Democratic.
McAuliffe is bringing Biden back as polls show that the Nov. 2 election between him and Republican Glenn Youngkin is tightening. A survey released this week by Monmouth University found McAuliffe's earlier lead evaporating, with both candidates at 46 percent among registered voters. McAuliffe has lost ground among independents and women, according to the poll.
The poll also had tough numbers for Biden. A majority of respondents — 52 percent — said they disapproved of his job performance.
McAuliffe had acknowledged Biden's declining popularity in recent weeks, raising questions about whether he would invite the president to campaign with him down the homestretch. McAuliffe, a former governor who was barred by state law from serving a second consecutive term, has held events over the last week with first lady Jill Biden and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. He was scheduled to campaign Thursday with Vice President Kamala Harris and Saturday with former President Barack Obama.
Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Youngkin, the former CEO of the private equity giant Carlyle Group. Youngkin has no plans to rally with Trump and has avoided campaigning with other high-profile Republicans in the closing days. Biden beat Trump by 10 percentage points in Virginia last year.
