We've got just 4 days to go, and things couldn't be moving quicker. Wednesday night, Politico teamed up with ABC News, Google and YouTube to broadcast a joint-candidate forum on statewide television. We released a new response ad this week, there's been a flurry of new polling, and we're gearing up for the final Get-Out-the-Vote push.

It All Comes Down to GOTV

The Washington Post said it best: "Figuring out which ones will come to the polls and how to reach them could, more than any other factor, determine the victor on election day." That's why we've invested in one of the most sophisticated field operations that a Virginia political race has ever seen. But our ability to put our plan into action depends on you.

We've got 14 offices spread all across the Commonwealth -- and we urgently need your help to make them overflow with volunteers.

For months we've worked to bring new voters into the process and re-engage all those folks who first got involved with President Obama's historic campaign last November. In short, we've identified our voters. But we've got to the hit the phones, knock the doors, and realize the potential to make our voices heard on Election Day.

The best thing you can do is come down to one of our offices, but there are other opportunities to help out - even from your home. So don't waste a minute. Terry's autographed an additional 100 rally signs for the first people to come in and donate their time. If you haven't already signed up to volunteer, please do so immediately.

Click Here to Sign Up to Volunteer.

Candidate Forum

Wednesday night, voters across the Commonwealth tuned in to see a joint-candidate forum sponsored by YouTube, Politico, Google and ABC. And as with all of the joint-appearances, Terry once again demonstrated why he's the candidate with the focus, discipline, and resolve to bring good-paying jobs to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

I've been in Virginia politics for an awfully long time, and one thing I've learned is that governing is prioritizing. There's no time to be all things to all people. You need to know what you want to do, and have a plan to get it done. That's exactly what Terry brings to the table.

No moment from the forum was more telling than when James from Arlington asked the three candidates the one thing they'd like to be remembered for after serving as governor for four years. We've posted that clip on our website, and I wanted to share it with you.

This morning, Terry is receiving the endorsement of Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana. As a popular two-term Governor, Governor Schweitzer knows that Terry has the right experience to get Virginia's economy moving again.

Chris Cillizza of The Washington Post wrote that the endorsement "sends a message that not only does Schweitzer think McAuliffe will win next Tuesday 's primary (otherwise, why fly in from Montana to stand with a potential loser) but also that McAuliffe represents the best chance for Democrats to keep the seat in the fall election."

Polls

A few weeks back, the National Journal's Amy Walter hit the nail on the head when she wrote that, "Any public polling on this race should be taken with a very big grain of salt. After all, no one has any idea just how 'likely' these 'likely voters' will be." But since so many of you have written in asking about one poll or another, I want to make sure you're all aware of the large disparity in the polls that are out there. They're all over the map, but Terry McAuliffe is the only candidate with a lead outside the margin of error in any of the various polls that have been released.

On Tuesday, Public Policy Polling showed the race was a dead heat.

Wednesday, Survey USA gave Terry a significant, 6-point lead over Creigh Deeds, and a 9-point lead over Brian Moran.

The truth is that the only poll that matters is the one this upcoming Tuesday. That's why we're focusing on two things - getting out the vote, and making our closing arguments for why Terry's the candidate best equipped to create jobs and grow Virginia's economy.

New Ads

For weeks, our opponents have hurled personal attacks at Terry in the mail, and on radio and TV. So as we come down the home stretch, we've got a dual focus for our paid media strategy. We released a new response ad that's airing in the Norfolk and Richmond media markets designed to counter the attacks we've seen. And in our final spot, Terry makes his closing argument for why we need big ideas to shake things up in Richmond.

P.S. Terry is holding a primary election night celebration at The Westin Arlington Gateway at 801 N. Glebe Road. If you're in the area, stop by at 7:15pm and celebrate with Terry!

Posted by: Mike @ 10:25:46 AM
Tags: 2009, economic growth, economy, governor, jobs, macker, mcauliffe, t-mac, terry, terry mcauliffe, tmac, va-gov, vagov, virginia