With less than four weeks to go before Election Day, Donald Trump's campaign has decided to shift resources out of the state of Virginia and into North Carolina, though the campaign publicly denied it was giving up on one of the key swing states of the 2016 race.
"Trump Campaign Withdraws From Virginia" bellowed the headline in the Wall Street Journal and other news outlets on Thursday, while Trump officials denied to reporters that they were conceding the Old Dominion to Hillary Clinton.
Trump's last visit to Virginia was on September 24, when he drew a big crowd at a rally in Roanoke. He has no events planned in Virginia in coming days.
Not only is Trump moving staff to North Carolina, but also is reportedly cutting back on his TV ad time in Virginia as well.
The move in Virginia came just a day after Trump's Virginia chairman was fired from his post, after he encouraged a rally against the GOP - outside the headquarters of the Republican National Committee.
Credit: Jamie Dupree
Credit: Jamie Dupree
"Don't pull out of Virginia," Corey Stewart wrote on his Facebook page late on Wednesday night.
"Pulling out now would be a betrayal to these volunteers," the former Trump chair added.
But the signs have been somewhat ominous for Trump in Virginia, as the polls have been solidly on the side of Clinton and the Democrats for months.
Credit: Jamie Dupree
Credit: Jamie Dupree
Without Virginia, Trump's road to 270 electoral becomes that much more difficult.
"Quitting Virginia makes Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina all must-wins for Trump," said GOP pollster and strategist Frank Luntz.
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