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Kaine to stump at Huguenot High; Pence to hold town hall in Virginia Beach

Posted at 11:10 PM, Jul 31, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-01 00:03:25-04

RICHMOND, Va. -- Now that the pomp and circumstance of the major party conventions is complete, presidential campaigns are turning their focus to ground work, making their pitches to voters across the country.  The Democratic and Republican Vice Presidential candidates will be in Virginia this week.

Tim Kaine is holding a "homecoming rally" at Huguenot High School in Richmond Monday evening.  Doors open at 5 p.m., and Kaine is scheduled to speak around 7 p.m. It will mark the first time Kaine is scheduled to hit the campaign trail on his own, separate from Hillary Clinton.

Sunday, a group of supporters met at the local Clinton campaign field office to paint signs ahead of the rally.  Retired Virginia state senator Henry Marsh was among the crowd.

"I have a theory: candidates don't win or lose elections. It's the supporters, supporters of the candidate. That's why I'm here volunteering," said Marsh, who added that he thinks the Clinton-Kaine ticket will carry Virginia in November's election.

Democrats have won every statewide election in Virginia since 2009; however, many political experts still consider Virginia a battleground state since the majority of Virginia's rural population generally votes overwhelmingly Republican.  A G.O.P. statewide candidate that is successful in some of Virginia's urban areas has a good shot to carry the state, according to analysts.

Donald Trump's campaign believes they have a chance to do well in Virginia.  His running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, will hold a town hall discussion in Virginia Beach on Thursday.  Local officials with the Trump campaign said the location of Thursday's event in military-centric Hampton Roads is strategic.

"You are going to hear a lot about rebuilding our military, about reforming the V.A.," said Corey Stewart, Donald Trump's Virginia Campaign Chairman.  "There are 890,000 veterans in Virginia.  We respect them very much. I think that will be the ace up the sleeve for the Trump-Pence campaign come November 8th."

While both Kaine and Pence will be stumping in the Commonwealth this week, many voters are looking ahead to their head-to-head match up during the Vice Presidential debate at Longwood University on October 4th.  CBS political expert Dr. Bob Holsworth said he expects a both candidates will perform well; however, Kaine does have one glaring advantage.

"Being on his home turf is going to be an advantage for [Kaine}, so we'll have to see how Mike Pence does in what will obviously be an away game for him," Dr. Holsworth said.

Click here for Clinton-Kaine schedule. Click here for the Trump-Pence schedule.