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Obama to hold campaign rally in Richmond

Posted at 6:58 PM, Apr 25, 2012
and last updated 2012-04-26 09:37:35-04

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – Officials announced President Obama will take part in a campaign rally in Richmond on Saturday, May 5 at VCU's Siegel Center. The event doors open at 1:45 p.m.

Volunteers at Obama's campaign headquarters in Richmond received word of the rally late Wednesday.

Michelle Obama is also expected to attend the event, which is one of two public campaign rallies slated for Saturday, May 5.

In fact, the President will attend a rally in Columbus, Ohio before heading to Virginia.

This will be the President’s fourth trip to Central Virginia in less than a year.

In March, the President spoke about the economy at the newly-opened, $170 million  Rolls-Royce plant that makes discs for engines that go into aircraft. [RELATED: County leaders call President Obama ‘geographically-challenged’]

In September, Obama gave a speech to supporters in the Robins Center at the University of Richmond. One month later he spoke to a much smaller crowd inside a fire station in Chesterfield County.

CBS 6 political analyst Dr. Bob Holsworth said since it is an an election year, it is no coincidence that the President is visiting Virginia, a battleground state.

“It’s standard operating procedure,” Dr. Holsworth said. “Almost any political figure will utilize their office also to find a way, at least indirectly, to benefit themselves politically.”

Virginia is considered a battleground state in the upcoming elections. President Obama was the first Democrat to win Virginia in a presidential election since the 1960′s.

Count on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for complete coverage of the President’s visit to Central Virginia.

RELATED: COMPLETE COVERAGE: President Obama in Prince George County