Obama to Virginia’s Fightin’ Fifth

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How many campaign events has Obama done exclusively for House candidates this year? In conservative-leaning districts that he lost in 2008? In states with no Senate seats or governorships up for grabs? By my count, just this one coming up on the valuable Friday before Election Day:

President Obama will campaign for Rep. Tom Perriello on Friday, holding an event in Charlottesville in the final stretch before the midterm elections, administration officials said Tuesday.

As I wrote a while back, Perriello has been a loyal warrior for much of the last two years and is unapologetic, even tireless, in his defense of his votes for health reform, cap-and-trade et al. His earnest progressivism has both made him a rising star in his party and painted a big target on his back this election season. The rally, a rarity for all the aforementioned reasons, is designed to help Perriello fire up his base in and around liberal C’ville. As a whole, the district remains a place where his challenger’s campaign is eager to use “[Obama’s] favorite congressman” as a pejorative.