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Les Smith Reports: Governor candidates make final pitches

Posted at 4:59 PM, Nov 04, 2013
and last updated 2013-11-04 20:35:07-05

On the day before Election Day, all three candidates in the Virginia Governor race are making their final pitches to voters across the state.

Ahead in every poll, Democrat Terry McAuliffe continued his strategy of calling in big-name Democrats. In Northern Virginia on Monday, it was Vice-President Biden, who has longtime ties to union leaders.

Republican Ken Cuccinelli was far busier, criss-crossing the state with Tea Party favorites. Last week, it was Rand Paul, and on Monday, it was Senator Marco Rubio.

Libertarian Robert Sarvis, who has benefited from dissatisfaction with McAuliffe and Cuccinelli, campaigned on Monday morning at ODU and Hampton University.

In the last poll on the race, out Monday from Quinnipiac University, shows McAuliffe with a six-point lead – 46 percent to 40 percent. Sarvis has eight percent.

But 10 percent of voters say they are either undecided or say there’s a good chance they will switch between now and Tuesday.

That’s Cuccinelli’s opening. If he can get Libertarians away from Sarvis at the last minute, and get Evangelicals and Tea Party supporters out in big numbers, he has a chance, especially if turnout is low. That’s why he’ll end the campaign on Monday night with one of the Tea Party’s biggest names – former Congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul.

Click here to view NewsChannel 3's election coverage with Les Smith.