EDITOR’S NOTE: This semester WTVR.com has partnered with VCU’s School of Mass Communications “iPadJournos” mobile and social media journalism project. Students from the project reported the following story.
RICHMOND, Va. – Despite polls continuously showing his opponent Terry McAuliffe leading the gubernatorial race, Republican candidate Ken Cuccinelli is confident that he will win on Election Day.
“I am optimistic about the outcome on Tuesday. Momentum is the most valuable thing in politics and we have it,” Cuccinelli said in an interview with VCU’s “iPadJournos” project. He added that he is especially optimistic as one of the latest polls by Quinnipiac University showed that the gap between him and McAuliffe is narrowing.
“It’s coming our way and you can see every poll closing for us and I’m a very good closer,” Cuccinelli said in the interview after a meeting with his campaign volunteers in Chesterfield on Wednesday evening. “It isn’t me, it’s all the people you saw here tonight. They’re enthusiastic, they’re fired up, we’re more energized than our opponents are about some key issues like economic growth and tax cuts versus Terry’s tax increases.”
Cuccinelli stressed in the meeting with his supporters that they need to get people to vote by informing voters on his stance on issues, maintaining a positive image for his campaign and counter “misconceptions that millions have been poured into.” He also added that the next four days would be very crucial in closing the gap even further.
On Wednesday, Cuccinelli traveled throughout Virginia, attending various meet and greets with his campaign members. He started his tour in Woodbridge and made his way to Stafford, Louisa, Hanover, Powhatan and ended the trip in the evening in Chesterfield County. His purpose was to inform and thank voters and volunteers for their service since the beginning of the campaign in May.
Cuccinelli also hopes that President Barack Obama’s visit on Sunday in Northern Virginia will energize his supporters. He is convinced that the recent troubles in the rollout of the Affordable Care Act will be a deciding issue in the gubernatorial race.
“I think the president’s visit on Sunday is critical for us, because it crystallizes this race around his signature legislative accomplishment, Obamacare, which is falling apart before our very eyes. It is an abject disaster. It’s obvious it’s a disaster,” Cuccinelli said. “Yet, my opponent wants to expand it even further in Virginia. So it really draws attention to that issue when the president comes on Sunday, two days before the election. The news reports are going to be Monday, the day before the election, so it’s very important timing.”
He added: “I’m very happy to see the president coming to Virginia.”
By Amir Vera and Mason Brown (Special to WTVR.com)
This story was reported by the “iPadJournos” mobile and social media journalism project, a cooperation between WTVR.com and VCU’s School of Mass Communications.
