RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - One day before Republican presidential hopeful Governor Mitt Romney boards a bus and campaigns across Virginia, the democrats are launching a counter-attack on a bus of their own.
The Democratic Party of Virginia unveiled the bus on Friday calling it the “Middle Class Under the Bus Tour.”
Democratic leaders say Romney’s proposed economic policies will harm, not help the middle class.
On Saturday, Governor Romney will campaign in Norfolk, Ashland and Manassas. An afternoon rally is planned at Randolph Macon College.
It appears the intense rhetoric in television and radio ads and among both political parties is heating up on the heels of a new poll that shows the presidential race in Virginia is still statistically in a dead heat.
The poll gives Obama a slight edge in Virginia with 49% of the vote, compared to Romney’s 45%.
However, the poll shows Romney leading among independents.
“The only poll that matters is election day,” says democratic state delegate Jennifer McClellan. “While I’m encouraged by that, we are continuing to hit the pavement and are not taking anything for granted.”
Republican state delegate Jimmie Massie says Virginia will play a big role in this presidential election as a battleground state and he expects the campaign to intensify in the coming three months.
“This election is neck and neck,” Massie argues.
However, Massie believes Virginia’s independent voters could easily determine which way Virginia swings. The republican leader says independents are leaning more toward Romney because of job and economic concerns.
“That is issue number one,” says Massie. “Mitt Romney just has the education, training and experience. He understands economics and he understands business.”
Both candidates have devoted time and resources in the commonwealth and will likely continue to campaign in Virginia up until November 6th.
