Jill Biden campaigns for McAuliffe in Virginia

First lady Jill Biden urged voters in Virginia to vote for Democrat Terry McAuliffe next month in the gubernatorial election at his rally on Friday evening.

“Virginia, you need somebody that you can trust and that’s Terry McAuliffe,” Biden said, standing next to McAuliffe on stage. “You know that because you know Terry.”

“County by county, we will win this,” she added. “It takes all of us coming together, doing our part, today and tomorrow and every day until Terry McAuliffe wins on Nov. 2.” 

McAuliffe, the former governor of Virginia, faces a tight race against Republican Glenn Youngkin. A Fox News poll this week put McAuliffe with a slim lead over Youngkin, with voters in Virginia supporting him at 51 percent versus 46 percent for Youngkin. 

During the rally on Friday at the Dorey Park and Recreation Center in Henrico, Va., a person yelled in protest at the beginning of the first lady’s remarks, but she joined chants of “Terry!” to drown it out.

“Almost one year ago I was not far from here, sitting with a handful of moms and they talked about how frustrated they were about, guess what, all the things that were out of control,” she said, pointing in the direction of another person yelling in protest.  

“The pandemic, schools closing, growing divisions in our communities. But they were hopeful, too. They told me that they had faith in Joe Biden that he would change the course of this country so we could breathe again,” she said. 

“We’re going with Terry,” Biden yelled, grabbing McAuliffe’s hand, while the person shouted in protest.

“So, we’re just going to out-shout each other?” she asked McAuliffe. “You got to love democracy.”

After her remarks, Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) and others joined her on stage. Spanberger spoke before the first lady and touted President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, including funding for broadband internet and childcare.

Democratic big guns are coming out for McAuliffe in what is largely seen as a bellwether for the midterm elections in 2022. 

Former President Obama will campaign with him on Oct. 23 in Richmond.

Biden campaigned for McAuliffe in July, and White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Thursday said “we’re going to do everything we can to help former Governor McAuliffe” ahead of the November election.

A government watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, filed a complaint on Friday with the Office of Special Counsel requesting an investigation into whether Psaki violated the Hatch Act with those comments. The act prohibits federal government employees from engaging in campaign activity in their official capacity. 

Earlier on Friday, the first lady participated in an early vote event at Middlesex County College in Edison, N.J., to support the reelection of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D). 

She told the college students, “Tell them to vote early. Go grab a cup of coffee and go vote.”  

“So go grab a beer and go vote,” she added. 

Murphy is leading the polls against his Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli.