Editors Update: “At no point did anyone associated with the Wagner campaign make this assertion,” wrote Elisabeth Pearson, Wagner’s campaign manager. “We’re fortunate to have three great candidates for Governor. All three are running great campaigns and Jody would be honored to be on the ballot with any of them.”
We are seeking to find out why there is a difference in what was reported and what the campaign is saying.
As for whether Deeds is dropping out, there certainly is evidence to the contrary. He just released an announcement that he collected approximately 16,000 signatures and that the campaign has “momentum.” It also says that they are “running a truly statewide effort to get out the vote on June 9th and the campaign has offices in Charlottesville, Richmond, Portsmouth, and Alexandria.”
***Original Post***
Last night at their Richmond office kick off, Jody Wagner staffers told Bearing Drift that Creigh Deeds was withdrawing from the Democratic race for Governor. Coming from the front runner for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor that’s a big blow for Deeds who is currently polling third in the race behind Brian Moran and Terry McAulliffe.
This comes after yesterday’s story from Anita Kumar at the Washington Post that Deeds will not be at this April’s annual Shad Planking:
Instead, Deeds will spend April 15 in southwest Virginia with U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) to try to woo undecided voters.
“Creigh Deeds and Congressman Boucher will make several stops across Southwest Virginia to talk with undecided voters about the Deeds plan to put Virginia’s hard-working families first,” said Joe Abbey, Deeds’ campaign manager. “Creigh looks forward to attending next year’s Shad Planking as the governor of Virginia.”
Deeds’ family still plans to attend the event.
Maybe he’ll be attending the Abington Tea Party instead.
