President Trump on Friday voiced optimism about his electoral prospects in Virginia come November while seeking to shore up his base with an attack against Gov. Ralph Northam (D), calling him “crazy.”
Trump launched the attack on the Democratic governor as early in-person voting began in the Commonwealth on Friday, with photos showing lines snaking around polling sites.
“Voting starts in Virginia TODAY, and we are going to WIN,” Trump tweeted. “You have a crazy Governor who wants to take away your guns, which he will do without me in office. He is in favor of executing babies after birth – this isn’t late-term abortion, this is a step way beyond!”
Hillary Clinton won Virginia by 5 points in 2016, and most statewide polls show Democratic nominee Joe Biden with a sizable lead in the Commonwealth heading into November.
Biden currently leads Trump by 14 points in the RealClearPolitics polling index in Virginia.
Multiple voting sites in Northern Virginia reported hundreds of people lined up to cast early votes Friday, with some waiting up to four hours to cast their ballots.
In a separate tweet Friday, Trump implored Virginians to side with him this fall and teased an upcoming rally there in the coming weeks.
“I’m playing for your guns, and I’m playing for your values,” Trump said. “For all the Federal Employees in Virginia, remember, it was me that got you the Federal Pay Raises, not Sleepy Joe Biden. I’ll be having a Big Rally in Virginia, to be announced soon!”