On Friday, President Joe Biden visited Arlington to campaign for the Democratic statewide ticket in Virginia, most notably former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who was elected in 2013. The state constitution prevents governors from running for back-to-back terms, hence he is running again in 2021.
Outside of the rally location, counter protesters were seen with anti-McAuliffe signs, as well as those in support of the Republican candidate for governor, former Carlyle Executive Glenn Youngkin.
Welcome to Arlington, @JoeBiden & @TerryMcAuliffe! Arlington voters are ready to #WinWithGlenn! @GlennYoungkin for #VAGov! pic.twitter.com/5FQKjQkJ4A
— Arlington GOP (@goparlington) July 23, 2021
Welcome to Arlington, @TerryMcAuliffe! #WinWithGlenn pic.twitter.com/zJLcA6kwFX
— Arlington GOP (@goparlington) July 23, 2021
When it comes to the rally itself, local Republicans were quick to react to the lack of diversity at the rally, as well as the lack of masks.
Delta Variant Dems held a super-spreader event in Arlington this evening. #VAGov https://t.co/y5NZrdpgyY
— Arlington GOP (@goparlington) July 24, 2021
So much diversity … oh, wait. https://t.co/iG1BzDC4w4
— The??FOO (@PolitiBunny) July 24, 2021
The campaign is also receiving attention at the national level, as "Virginia" was at one point trending on Twitter. GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel warned that Biden and McAuliffe support taxpayer funded abortion.
There is no more room for pro-life voters in the Democrat Party.
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) July 24, 2021
Both Terry McAuliffe and Joe Biden want to force pro-life Americans to pay for abortions with their tax dollars up to the moment of birth.
That same day, McAuliffe tweeted his commitment to enshrining the "right to choose" abortion in the state constitution. Biden has consistently communicated a commitment to codify that so-called right found in Roe v. Wade, should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn the 1973 landmark decision.
Folks, reproductive rights are under attack. With a right-wing Supreme Court, we can’t take anything for granted. I’ll fight to enshrine the right to choose into Virginia’s constitution. https://t.co/87WYppdGVD
— Terry McAuliffe (@TerryMcAuliffe) July 22, 2021
Townhall has covered McAuliffe's strong support for abortion as a candidate in 2013 and governor, which he's only grown to be more forthcoming on. Since such reporting, he has touted further endorsements, including NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, whose national organization in April tweeted "It's past time to defund the police."
It’s past time to defund the police. After multiple failed attempts to change the culture of policing, it’s clear that police have not succeeded in reckoning with the generations of systemic racism, oppression, and state violence it has engaged in. We must continue to do better.
— NARAL (@NARAL) April 20, 2021
The Virginia affiliate tweeted the same message just last month.
?? ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
— NARAL Pro-Choice VA (@NARALVirginia) June 21, 2020
Defund the police.
Invest in Black communities.
Tell Donald Trump to resign. #SixNineteen#DefendBlackLives#BlackLivesMatter#DefundPolice pic.twitter.com/OPigc62iS6
When asked by the Federalist if he agreed with that comment, McAuliffe's campaign did not respond to such requests.
McAuliffe was also criticized for his choice of words, specifically his claim that "a right-wing Supreme Court [is] ready to hack away at the right to choose," emphasis added.
When admitting you love abortion, perhaps avoid language on what it does to unborn children. “Hacking away” — yikes. https://t.co/NKauprwJiQ
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) July 20, 2021
Matthew Hurtt, the Communications Director for Arlington GOP was present at the counter protest, which he helped coordinate.
"It was important to us that even in deep-blue Arlington, Joe Biden and Terry McAuliffe realized there are thousands of people who don't ascribe to their radical theology," he said in a statement for Townhall.
He also shared that "the most shocking thing for me was how few people actually attended. In a country that went 80%+ for Biden, only a couple thousand people attended. This shows Virginia Democrats have an enthusiasm gap heading into November."
260,000 people in Arlington. 1.1% turnout for a County where @JoeBiden earned 105k votes. #VAGov https://t.co/4kySAZGSsu
— Arlington GOP (@goparlington) July 24, 2021
An email sent out to Arlington GOP members showcased Hurtt's presence at numerous protests and counter protests.
Hurtt is not the only one to note this "enthusiasm gap." Executive Director of Virginia FREE and former Delegate Chris Saxman, in a blog post republished with Bearing Drift, mentioned "a potential softness in Democratic enthusiasm for Terry McAuliffe," with original emphasis, as part of the "11 Reasons Why Virginia Republicans Can Win This Fall."
McAuliffe was not the only one Virginia Democrat at the rally. Hala Ayala, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, as well as Democratic incumbent attorney general Mark Herring, and the sitting governor, Democrat Ralph Northam, also appeared.
To recap tonight's Democrat event:
— Virginia GOP (@VA_GOP) July 23, 2021
A guy who wore blackface introduced a guy who wore a KKK robe and hood who introduced a guy who called on them both to resign who spoke before a guy who told a Black guy "you ain't Black" unless you vote Democrat.
The Republican Party of Virginia made note of Northam and Herring's admittance to using black face, as well as Biden eulogizing Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV), who was an an Exalted Cyclops in the Ku Klux Klan.
In a piece by Todd J. Gillman with the Dallas Morning News, Ayala is seen posing with Democratic Texas State Rep. Shawn Thierry. As Townhall reported, a handful of members tested positive for COVID, with more reported cases coming to light since last weekend.
Towards the closing of his speech, Biden told the crowd " We got to re-elect Hala as your Lieutenant Governor," though her political experience has been the Virginia House of Delegates.
At one point, Biden said McAuliffe "knows also about crime prevention as a top priority." Republicans, however, have made it a focus of the campaign to highlight the rising crime from when McAuliffe was in office.
Joe Biden and Terry McAuliffe’s policies make our communities less safe.
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) July 23, 2021
Virginia’s murder rate increased by 43% under McAuliffe.
Notably, Biden took multiple shots at former President Donald Trump. "I ran against Donald Trump and so is Terry," he said. "I whipped Donald Trump in Virginia and so will Terry."
They wish Terry McAuliffe was running against someone else because they know he can't beat Glenn Youngkin! https://t.co/zGIp97NE9T
— Team Youngkin (@TeamYoungkin) July 24, 2021
Of course, Trump is not on the ballot for a statewide race in Virginia, though he did heartily endorse Youngkin.
The Youngkin campaign responded by tying McAuliffe to Trump as well.
Biden did win Virginia with 54.1 percent to Trump's 44.0 percent. A Republican nominee for president hasn't won there since 2004.
The election for such statewide offices will take place on Tuesday, November 2.
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