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Virginians Vote, Trump Tweets

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(AP)- A friendly crowd greeted Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam and his wife as they arrived at their local polling station to cast their ballots.

Northam hugged cheering voters Tuesday morning at a Norfolk community center, thanking them for their support during the closely watched race. A few dozen voters were there.

He and Republican Ed Gillespie have been locked in a heated battle to succeed Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who cannot seek a second term.

President Donald Trump took to Twitter once again to back Republican Virginia gubernatorial nominee minutes before the polls opened across the state.

In a series of early morning tweets Tuesday, Trump said Gillespie will crack down on crime and improve the state's economy.

Meanwhile, Trump tweeted that Gillespie's Democratic opponent is "weak on crime" and against the Second Amendment. Northam, an Army veteran, says he grew up hunting and wants common-sense gun laws.

Polls show a tight race and Virginia is the only Southern state that Trump lost last year.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.