Cuccinelli Challenges Biden to Debate

Ken Cuccinelli, the Republican gubernatorial nominee in Virginia, has challenged Vice President Joe Biden to a debate, after Biden came to the state Saturday to campaign for Cuccinelli's Democratic opponent, Terry McAuliffe.

"It's disappointing and all-too typical that Vice President Biden would be willing to come into Virginia to level false charges on behalf of a candidate who has been unwilling or unable to offer a plan for Virginia's economic future or participate in substantive debates on the issues facing Virginians," Cuccinelli said in a statement Sunday.

"Since my opponent threatened to walk away from the only debate scheduled, and refuses to engage in other debates across the Commonwealth, perhaps his friend, the vice president, will."

McAuliffe has agreed to engage in five debates, while Cuccinelli had sought 15.

The last three polls compiled by Real Clear Politics show Cuccinelli, the state attorney general, trailing McAuliffe, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, by an average of 4.3 percentage points.  Those surveys were conducted May 8 to June 6 by Quinnipiac University, Public Policy Polling and Rasmussen Reports.

The election, one of only two for state governors this year, will take place Nov. 5.