The Republican vying for the House seat currently held by Rep. Tom Perriello (D-Va.) called President Barack Obama’s visit to Charlottesville, Va. this evening a sign of desperation for the incumbent Democrat.
Polls show Perriello, who was elected to the House in 2008, running neck and neck with his challenger, Robert Hurt. Virginia’s 5th District has historically voted Republican, creating much vulnerability for Perriello in his bid for reelection. The nonpartisan Cook Report recently moved the race from “toss-up,” to “lean Republican.”
Hurt and Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) held a conference call with reporters on Friday to discuss the significance of Obama coming to campaign for Perriello just four days before voters cast their ballots. Hurt said the President is rewarding Perriello for being a “a loyal foot soldier” for the White House’s agenda.
“I think it’s refreshing to see that [Periello] is now embracing the President in this late hour, and it shows that he recognizes that his campaign, up to this point, is not convincing people of his commitment to the fifth district,” Hurt said.
Cantor, meanwhile, lauded Hurt’s pro-business approach to growing the nation’s economy which is currently mired in a years-long recession.
“[Republicans] ought to cut spending, we ought to reduce uncertainties that surround the Obama/Pelosi agenda and we ought to focus on putting small business people back into the game, so that they can create jobs.”