Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe skipped campaign events in northern Virginia two days in a row without providing a public explanation of his absences.
McAuliffe, who is running neck-and-neck with Republican Glenn Youngkin, had scheduled bus tour events in Woodbridge, Prince William County on Thursday evening, and at the Port City Brewing Co. in Alexandria on Friday afternoon. McAuliffe has appeared at or scheduled at least seven events in Virginia’s three most northern counties, Prince William, Fairfax, and Loudoun, in the last month of his campaign in an effort to combat Youngkin’s recent polling rise.
As part of his campaign’s promotion of the Woodbridge event, voters were offered the chance to “join Terry McAuliffe as he takes a bus tour across the commonwealth to get out the vote!”
However, footage posted to Twitter by Lt. Gov. candidate Hala Ayala from Woodbridge, where she also scheduled an event at the same address, does not show McAuliffe. Instead, Ayala declared that she was “surrounded by friends, mentors & fellow activists in Prince William County.”
I started my day by voting for Democrats up and down the ballot and ended my day surrounded by friends, mentors & fellow activists in Prince William County.
PWC, you are my family. Thank you for always showing up for me. 💙 pic.twitter.com/SN6rblKlNM
— Hala Ayala (@HalaAyala) October 29, 2021
On Friday, McAuliffe planned to attend an event at Port City Brewing Co. in Alexandria, the brewery confirmed to the Daily Caller. However, McAuliffe skipped the event, reportedly due to inclement weather, according to Axios’ Cuneyt Dil. Democratic Rep. Don Beyer and union and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta appeared in his place.
No Terry McAuliffe in Northern Virginia today due to rainstorms, instead in Virginia Beach. Event at Alexandria brewery features civil rights icon Dolores Huerta and Rep Don Beyer. pic.twitter.com/on90Lop9Ac
— Cuneyt Dil (@cuneytdil) October 29, 2021
The McAuliffe campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the Daily Caller.
McAuliffe initially led Youngkin in polls by as many as nine points. However, a series of gaffes and missteps, punctuated by debate remarks in which McAuliffe explained that he does not “think parents should be telling schools what they should teach,” have given the Republican an opening. (RELATED: McAuliffe Dismisses Parents’ Concern For Education As Campaign Tactic ‘Generated By Glenn Youngkin’)
Youngkin has aggressively courted northern Virginia voters with messaging on education. He has called for an investigation into a pair of sexual assaults at Loudoun County high schools and promised to ban Critical Race Theory.
