RICHMOND, VA — President Donald Trump is giving his strongest endorsement to date of Republican Ed Gillespie in Virginia’s closely watched race for governor.
In a series of tweets Thursday morning, Trump said Gillespie would improve Virginia’s economy, be “strong on crime” and “might even save our great statues/heritage.”
Gillespie is a Washington insider who has largely kept the president at an arm’s distance so far, fearful of alienating Virginia’s moderate voters. When Trump endorsed Gillespie’s campaign on Twitter earlier this month, Gillespie downplayed it as a nonevent.
At a campaign event in Fairfax Thursday, Gillespie refused to say whether he wants the President to cross the river to campaign with him.
“President Trump does not disclose military strategy – he’s made a point of that, not telling enemies what to expect,” said Gillespie. ” I think that’s a good approach to campaign strategy as well, and so the Democrats are going to have to wait and find out what our campaign strategy is in the last 12 days,” he added.
Gillespie has tried to excite Trump’s supporters in Virginia with hard-edged attack ads that have accused Democratic opponent Ralph Northam of being “weak” on gang crime by immigrants living in the country illegally. Gillespie’s also highlighted Northam’s support for removing Virginia’s numerous Confederate monuments.
WMAL News contributed content to this report.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.(Photo: Ed Gillespie Facebook Page)
