First Lady to Raise Money for Virginia Gov. Candidate McAuliffe

First Lady Michelle Obama will attend a fundraiser Thursday for Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe, marking the latest in a series of recent events she has attended to help Democratic campaigns.

According to The Hill, the first lady helped raise money last week in New York for the Democratic National Committee and in Massachusetts for Rep. Ed Markey, who hopes to take the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Secretary of State John Kerry.

The involvement of the popular first lady in the McAuliffe and Markey races shows how important the races are for Democrats, The Hill noted..

McAuliffe, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is engaged in a tight race with Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. A poll conducted May 24-26 by the Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling firm showed McAuliffe ahead 42 percent to 37 percent.