Trump to campaign in Virginia after first presidential debate
Former President Donald Trump plans to return to Virginia for a campaign event on June 28, the day after the first presidential debate, CBS News has learned.
Sources tell CBS News the campaign hasn't confirmed a location yet, but is looking in the Virginia Beach-Hampton Roads area. The area is home to a significant military population and the U.S. Navy's fighter-attack jet fleet on the East Coast.
The Trump campaign says it hopes to build off momentum from the debate to carry the former president into the "next phase of the campaign," a source tells CBS News.
This will be Trump's second visit to the Old Dominion this cycle. He campaigned in the state capital of Richmond in March, just before Super Tuesday.
The Trump campaign has said it believes Virginia – which President Biden won by 10 points in 2020 – is in play.
No Republican running for president has won Virginia since 2004, when George W. Bush was reelected, although the commonwealth historically voted Republican before that. But now, Virginia has a Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, with whom Trump met last week for the first time at Trump National Golf Club, in northern Virginia. During their meeting, Youngkin shared polling numbers with Trump that showed he's competitive with Mr. Biden in the state.
The Democratic National Committee expressed doubt about any GOP optimism regarding Virginia.
"Trump lost Virginia by double digits in 2020, and Glenn Youngkin lost the Virginia legislative elections last year, despite his high-profile attempt to hold the Virginia House and flip the Virginia Senate," DNC spokesperson Abhi Rahman said. "Virginians have rejected MAGA Trump Republicans time and time again, from 2016 onwards, and will do so again in November."
Mr. Biden and his surrogates have also been active in Virginia in recent months, a sign that they, too, believe it isn't impossible for Trump to win there. Democrats, including Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, sent fundraising emails after Trump and Youngkin met. Mr. Biden visited McLean, a wealthy Northern Virginia suburb, for a fundraiser earlier this week.
Kathryn Watson contributed to this report